News

Recasting pivotal roles always comes with a rollercoaster of equal parts praise and equal parts critique, but “Days of our Lives’” decision to recast the role of Will in what seemed like mere moments after the announcement that Chandler Massey was departing the role has seen rumblings closer to an earthquake than a mere thrill ride. Viewers have questioned whether the show’s decision to bring Guy Wilson in was a way to stick it to Massey for leaving the role he’d made popular over the last three years, and some even questioned why Massey was leaving the show in the first place. The Backlot, an online publication that calls itself the corner of Hollywood and gay, managed to snag an interview with “DAYS” co-executive producer, Greg Meng, to get the inside scoop!

The ABC Television Network and Gray Television, Inc. announced today that they have reached a new affiliation agreement that allows Gray Television to broadcast ABC’s full programming schedule in Laredo, Texas beginning in February 2014 using KGNS digital channel 8.2. Programming includes ABC’s primetime lineup, “Good Morning America,” “World News,” “Jimmy Kimmel” and ABC’s Daytime programming including “General Hospital.”

“Days of our Lives’” alum Eric Winter (ex-Rex DiMera) may spend a lot of his time filming Lifetime’s “Witches of East End,” but when he and his wife, Rosalyn Sanchez (“Devious Maids”), heard about a new venture their friend, George Valencia, was starting with Judy Reyes (“Devious Maids”), they had to sign up. The project? An animated children’s show called “La Golda,” which features an 8-year-old orphan with two passions: soccer and building a better world for kids.

On Monday, November 11 and Tuesday, November 12, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” will observe Veterans Day with episodes dedicated to U.S. Veterans. According to the network, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) will host a fundraiser to honors veterans, while also looking to get closer to her long-lost son, Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton), who recently completed a tour in Afghanistan. Nikki’s husband, Victor (Eric Braeden), announces a plan to have his company, Newman-Chancellor Enterprises, provide jobs for qualified U.S. veterans, letting people know that he values veterans as driven, goal-oriented employees and advising other employers to seek out these proven leaders.

Yesterday, we at Soap Opera Network published our Halloween feature with the casts of “Days of our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless” providing us with some of their favorite past Halloween costumes and their reasons why. After our feature was published The OnLine Network (TOLN) posted their own Halloween feature with the casts of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” The TOLN feature asks fans to guess which cast member is wearing what with the answers said to be published later today. To take a spin on who is who and what is what, click here.

Ratings Report for the Week of October 21-25, 2013

There isn’t just a ‘Halo’ of light surrounding the mother of pop sensation, Beyoncé, these days: It seems Tina Knowles is all lit up for former “All My Children” and “Dynasty” actor Richard Lawson!

Daytime’s number one rated show, “The Young and the Restless,” can’t be stopped! Not only has the sudser maintained the top spot in soap opera ratings for a consecutive 1,294 weeks, the latest Nielsen ratings reveal that the show notched nearly five million viewers for the week ending Sunday, October 27 — its largest audience in nearly two years! Click beyond the jump for the breakdown!

If you couldn’t get enough of Cynthia Watros as “Guiding Light’s” crazy Annie Dutton Banks or as “Lost’s” sympathetic psychologist, Libby Smith, you’re in luck: She’ll be tackling an equally intense role during her upcoming stint on “The Young and the Restless.”

“Days of our Lives” actor Drake Hogestyn (John Black) delivered a very happy Halloween treat to fans today: He tweeted confirmation that he is indeed returning to the NBC sudser!