Although it has been reported that veteran writer Robert Guza Jr. (“General Hospital”) and producer Julie Hanan Carruthers (“All My Children,” “Port Charles”) have joined “The Gates” as executive producers, creator and showrunner Michele Val Jean, who is also an executive producer on the series, has only officially confirmed one new hire since the news of the show’s development was first announced earlier this year.
On X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday morning, Val Jean shared that writer Skyy Sandifer had joined the new daytime drama series, which is set to debut on CBS in January 2025.
Sonja Flemming/CBS
“Welcome to #TheGates @SincerelySkyy. So happy to be working with you again,” said Val Jean in her X post, referring to their time working on “Ambitions,” the short-lived OWN original series created by “Days of our Lives” writer Jamey Giddens.
In response to Val Jean’s post, Sandifer said, “Thank you so much! I’m so excited to be part of your baby!”
Since kicking off her professional writing career at “Ambitions” in 2019, where she also served as a script coordinator, Sandifer has gone on to work as a script coordinator for such series as “Blindspotting,” “House of Payne,” “Young Dylan” and most recently “Sistas.” Previously, Sandifer worked as a production assistant on such series as “Survivor’s Remorse” and “Sunday Best,” and the Marvel film “Ant-Man.”
Telling the story of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community, “The Gates” marks the first brand new soap opera in development for a broadcast network since the 1999 launch of NBC’s “Passions.”
