This week, soap icon Genie Francis celebrated 45 years since her debut as Laura Collins on “General Hospital.” See the on-set photos and hear what her fellow castmates had to say about the actress.

“General Hospital’s” Jake (James Nigbor) hasn’t been the same since he was rescued from the Cassadine compound. There’s something off and menacing about Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Jason’s (Billy Miller) son. What happened to the boy, while he was in captivity that caused the personality shift? And, more importantly, is Sam (Kelly Monaco) safe from ‘The Bad Seed’ Helena (Constance Towers) created?

“Days of our Lives'” Chad and Abigail, as portrayed by actors Billy Flynn and Kate Mansi, have emerged into the soap’s most popular young couple. Here are 10 “Chabby” moments to remember.

It’s out with the old and in with the new on January 13, when Jason Thompson debuts as Billy Abbott on “The Young and the Restless.” Thompson replaces Burgess Jenkins, who joined the soap in June 2014 replacing David Tom. But let’s face it, he’ll be judged by whether or not he measures up to Billy Miller’s portrayal of the popular character.

It’s been almost eight months since “The Young and the Restless’” Adam Newman was declared dead following a horrific showdown and subsequent car crash with Billy Abbott. And since most of the town believed he’d perished in the fiery accident, they’ll be getting quite a shock when the very-much-alive CEO — now played by former “Passions” star Justin Hartley — makes a surprise return to Genoa City, which Soap Opera Network has exclusively learned will take place on Wednesday, November 5!

After nearly a year in a coma, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” will once again say hello to Phyllis Summers when daytime veteran Gina Tognoni takes over the role beginning Monday, August 11, Soap Opera Network has learned exclusively. In our tribute to the character as she gets ready to wake up for the first time in the coming weeks, we take a look back at what Phyllis has missed while she was sleeping, including what former loves Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow) have been up to since last seeing their favorite feisty redhead.

CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” is currently living it up in Monte Carlo as it prepares for the Monte Carlo Television Festival’s International TV Audience Awards, where it is nominated in the “Telenovela/Soap Opera” category, which honors programs that garnered the highest number of viewers worldwide in 2013 across five continents. On the road to the big night, which takes place on Wednesday, June 11, the show’s cast celebrated the festival’s opening night of glamour and took part in a photocall and autograph signing.

Filmed in mid-August, episodes airing during the week of November 25 and on Monday, December 2, 2013 of NBC’s “Days of our Lives” found Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus), Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) and Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) seemingly unite for the first time as they worked overtime to hide their role in the apparent death of Nick Fallon (Blake Berris). Just before being hit over the head with a rock, Nick was trying to instigate sexual relations with Ms. Hernandez, who then made it clear that not only wasn’t she interested, but it wasn’t the time nor the place to get busy. In a recent interview with Soap Opera Network, Koslow gushed over the amount of effort that went into producing the episodes, particularly the river set. “It was kind of amazing what they created on the set,” the actress said. “It’s like the 90s, because in the 90s we had huge sets. I remember being on a raft, and the raft was on shocks. So we did some crazy stuff back then, and they recreated it for this story. It was actually an adventure.”

On Monday, September 26, 2011, ABC premiered a new daytime talk show that brought food back to the table and into our everyday lives. Now in its third season, “The Chew” is currently enjoying one of its highest rated on record in both total viewers and key women sales demos. As the talk show celebrated its 500th episode yesterday, fans of the ABC version of “All My Children” continued to mourn the loss of their favorite daytime soap opera, which made Susan Lucci and her character Erica Kane a household name to mainstream viewers.

In the press release announcing the season one finales of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” Prospect Park’s The OnLine Network (TOLN) also announced “that future seasons of the shows will benefit from the launch of a new, user-friendly web portal and app that will make it even easier for fans to connect with their favorite characters and will take their level of interaction to a whole new level.” So what does that even mean?

For months, and in numerous articles, Soap Opera Network stated the following line: “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” both premiere on Monday, April 29 via Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes. Well, the big day finally arrived and is now over and done with. So, we have to ask readers…how did you watch the soaps? Hulu, Hulu Plus or iTunes?

Earlier today we posted our ratings report for the week of February 4-8, 2013 and it looks as though the debut of Steve Burton on “The Young and the Restless” and Jack Wagner’s return to “General Hospital” have helped bring new (or returning) viewers back to daytime television.

According to a report by the New York Post, ABC is developing a real-life version of its popular daytime soap “General Hospital.” A network spokesperson confirmed the Post’s report and said that the possible series, which recently began taping at UCLA Medical Center, is in its “earliest, pilot stages,” and is intended “either for syndication or maybe cable.” Of course, the news has put soap opera fans into a tizzy as they are now worried about the fate of “GH” when they really shouldn’t be – yet.

In the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest, which just happens to be the mags annual Best & Worst issue, columnist Carolyn Hinsey (“It’s Only My Opinion”) shared her views of the best and worst of 2012 in the world of daytime soaps. While you can read her input by picking up your own copy, it is her statement that “OLTL will be back” that peaked our curiosity.

With word of Sean Kanan returning to “General Hospital” next month in an as yet to-be-determined role, despite portraying AJ Quartermaine 15 years ago on the drama series, I recently noted an uncanny similarity Kanan currently has with former co-star and on screen brother Steve Burton.