According to the Hollywood Reporter, former “General Hospital” star Marissa Ramirez (ex-Gia) has been upped to series regular on CBS’ “Blue Bloods” beginning with the primetime shows fifth season. Ramirez, who joined the series as a recurring guest-star beginning with the Friday, March 8 episode entitled “Protest Too Much,” portrays Detective Maria Baez, the former and now ful-time partner of Donnie Wahlberg’s Detective Danny Raegan. The actress is replacing Jennifer Esposito, who portrayed Wahlberg’s onscreen partner, Jackie Curatola, on the drama series until November of last year.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (previously incorrectly indicated by us as The National Association of Television Arts & Sciences) announced today that both CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless” have received additional nominations for the 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards. The category that bumped both soaps up in total counts was Outstanding Original Song for a Drama Series, which previously listed one song for “General Hospital” and one song for “Y&R” when nominations were first announced on Wednesday, May 1.

Fans of “The Young and the Restless’” Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) were kept in the loop about the actress’ illness and eventual passing by her son, Corbin Bernsen (“Psych”), and now the actor is set to speak out yet again on his mother’s tragic death.

We may not envy the icy hearts of the characters on ABC’s “Revenge,” but their stellar wardrobes certainly leave us panting. Lucky for us — and fellow fans of the drool-worthy outfits put together by the show’s three-time Emmy nominated costume designer, Jill Ohanneson — the series’ clothing could be coming to a store near you!

“All My Children’s” Susan Lucci (ex-Erica Kane) has been given the moniker “Queen of Soaps,” but with some recent moves by the production team behind her new series, “Devious Maids,” she just may be called “Queen of Telenovelas,” too!

Fans of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” have learned to adapt to the dramatic twists and turns hitting their favorite returning “anytime” soaps, only they’ve been adapting more to the behind the scenes “drama” than they have been with what’s happening on screen. First it was the episode reduction (two episodes per week for each show instead of the previously scheduled four), then word FX Canada had dropped both shows from its lineup as a result of the episode reduction, and most recently word that head writers for both shows were released from their contracts and replaced with their script writers. Now, according to TheWrap, the latest drama is based on an apparent labor dispute between Prospect Park and I.A.T.S.E. (International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees)/Local 52, the union representing stage workers for “AMC.”

Fran Bascom, who had been nominated nine times for her work as a casting director at NBC’s “Days of our Lives” by the Casting Society of America, has died. After reportedly feeling under the weather late Sunday, June 2, Bascom was taken to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, CA, where she died. A cause of death is not known at this time.

Ratings Report for the Week of May 20-24, 2013

via Press Release ALL CBS DAYTIME SHOWS FINISH THE SEASON WITH YEAR-TO-YEAR GROWTH IN VIEWERS…

“Days of our Lives” has equaled its biggest women 18-49 audience in 18 months and set an 11-week high in total viewers, according to “live plus same day” viewing figures for the week of May 20-24 from Nielsen Media Research.