Despite still being listed as a featured player on the show’s official website and other official channels used to help promote the show, even after updates with new cast additions, Doug Davidson recently shared that he hasn’t been asked back to “The Young and the Restless” after portraying Paul Williams on the soap for the better part of 43 years.
“I don’t see me going back, but all of you are so incredibly wonderful. Thank you,” Davidson said recently on Twitter to users who were querying about his status on the show earlier this week.
“It’s the state of television. I find it remarkable that after 42.5 years I haven’t heard from the network at all. No thank you for your service, a phone call. Many gifts from the first 25 years…not a peep from this group,” Davidson revealed as he used the “man shrugging” emoji to display his bewilderment. “I don’t think it’s personal. New era. Still grateful.”
When a fan said they had read he was the most requested actor to return to the show, Davidson said, “I don’t care. I have been so blessed for 42+years, it doesn’t matter. The Bells have been wonderful.” He later corrected his tweet, saying, “I DO care. I should have said it doesn’t make any difference. I had a GREAT run!”
Davidson last appeared on “Y&R” in November 2020 in scenes alongside Jordi Vilasuso (Rey Rosales) and Jason Thompson (Billy Abbott), wherein Billy was being looked at as a suspect in the shooting of Chance Chancellor (last played by Donny Boaz).
Winning the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2013 for his portrayal of Paul Williams, Genoa City’s chief of police, Davidson joined “Y&R” in May 1978 and is still listed as the show’s longest running “current” cast member.
Last month, Davidson reminisced with others who brought up his stint as the host of the syndicated edition of “The Price is Right” in 1994. “We suddenly had to compete with OJ trial updates. Killed our ratings,” he said of the show’s short run.