The search for a new head writer at “The Young and the Restless” has concluded with the daytime drama series naming Jamey Giddens (“Beyond the Gates,” “Days of our Lives”) and Dan O’Connor (“Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital”) as its new co-head writers, replacing outgoing head writer Josh Griffith.
According to TV Insider, which first reported the news, the new team is expected to begin work at the Television City-based soap opera next week, just a few weeks after Griffith first announced plans to exit the series.
Giddens and O’Connor mark the first co-head writing team at the show since the 2015 departures of Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante. Subsequently, the show has had indivdiual head writers, starting with Charles Pratt Jr., Sally Sussman Morina, Mal Young and most recently the departing Griffith.
Giddens most recently worked as a breakdown writer at “Beyond the Gates,” working under the penmanship of series creator, executive producer and showrunner Michele Val Jean and co-head writer Tracey Thomson, who herself is a veteran writer of “The Young and the Restless.”
Creator of the short-lived “Ambitions,” which starred Robin Givens as a sophisticated attorney working at her family’s prestigious Atlanta-based law firm who would stop at nothing to get what she wants, Giddens made his daytime writing debut in 2021 as a breakdown writer at “Days of our Lives,” working under then head writer Ron Carlivati (“General Hospital,” “One Life to Live”) and later spinoff series “Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem.” During his time at the Corday Productions-produced show, he earned a Writers Guild Award and a Daytime Emmy Award for Writing, and this year is nominated for Outstanding Writing Team for both “Beyond the Gates” and “Days of our Lives.”
Prior to dipping his toes into television writing, Giddens made a name for himself as the editorial director and co-owner of Daytime Confidential, a popular TV news destination featuring breaking news on soaps, talk shows and game shows, daily recaps and spoilers.
In 2009, alongside former Soap Opera Digest editor-in-chief Stephanie Sloane, now at TV Guide Magazine, and the late Canadian journalist Nelson Branco, Giddens served as a commentator during the pre-show for “The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” on The CW.
As co-head writer at “General Hospital” from 2019-2024, O’Connor helped the daytime drama series take home its first Emmy for Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series since 2009, taking home the trophy during “The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” alongside his then co-head writer Chris Van Etten, who currently serves as co-head writer of the ABC drama alongside Elizabeth Korte.
O’Connor began his career interning for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and Marvel Comics, and later worked as a writers’ assistant on “One Life to Live.” While at the soap, he also worked under Carlivati before the latter transitioned to become head writer at “General Hospital” in 2012. O’Connor joined the “One Life to Live” writing staff during the show’s final season and wrote the series finale episode. Following Carlivati’s exit in 2024, O’Connor continued at “Days of our Lives” as a breakdown writer under the writing team led by co-head writers Paula Cwikly and Jean Marie Ford. The Peacock-exclusive series recently named Ryan Quan as co-head writer, joining Ford.
“Congratulations!” commented Val Jean on X (formerly Twitter), in response to the news of Giddens’ promotion to head writer at “The Young and the Restless,” adding, “Proud of and happy for you. Now for the last time – go be brilliant.”
“Thank you, Sis. I hope to do you proud,” responded Giddens, noting, “Fairmont Crest will forever be in my heart.”
Giddens is the first Black co-head writer at “The Young and the Restless,” and with Val Jean at “Beyond the Gates,” this marks the first time ever that there are two Black head writers or co-head writers at more than one soap opera simultaneously. Val Jean is the first Black female head writer, and Giddens is now the first Black male head writer.
Material written by Giddens and O’Connor is expected to begin airing in the fall.
Check out our interview with O’Connor after winning an Emmy in 2024 below.
