Errol

I'm in shock. A few days ago I came across Alan's comment on Twitter about not seeing Nelson post for a while and did find that odd as well. I meant to email Nelson to inquire but he and I weren't really that close so I felt it wasn't my place to do so. Not knowing the circumstances of how or when, I will just say that I wish I had emailed him regardless. Whenever he and I spoke over the years, whether at the Emmys or that one time by phone, he was always kind and polite. Funny and alluring. Regardless of how he portrayed himself online or in his column, he seemed to genuinely care about the genre of soaps and the people he spoke about even when some felt he was being mean. His light darkened way too soon. I'll miss him.

THIS is how you promote a show's move to streaming exclusively...not to mention announcing it at least five months in advance. Disney+ Launches ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Premiere Campaign To Entice Viewers To Watch Live On Streamer https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2022/08/disney-dancing-with-the-stars-premiere-campaign-entice-viewers

THIS is how you promote a show's move to streaming exclusively...not to mention announcing it at least five months in advance. Disney+ Launches ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Premiere Campaign To Entice Viewers To Watch Live On Streamer https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2022/08/disney-dancing-with-the-stars-premiere-campaign-entice-viewers

After spending 30 seasons on ABC, “Dancing with the Stars” was renewed for a 31st and 32nd season earlier this year with a planned move to streaming service Disney+. The new season kicks off live on Monday, September 19 with Tyra Banks sharing hosting duties with “America’s Funniest Home Videos” host Alfonso Ribeiro who went home with the mirror ball as the winner of Season 19. Recently, the streaming service has dropped three promos with a first look at what fans can expect for the new season as they entice viewers to “experience the journey” featuring music from Whitney Houston (“Higher Love” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”). In the first promo, viewers are told to “Put on your dancing shoes. We’re making moves. A new season awaits. Only on Disney+” as the show’s judges are heard spouting commentary on dancers from previous seasons. The clip concludes with the mirror ball morphing into Mickey Mouse ears, referencing the Disney mascot. Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is played throughout the promo. In the second promo, a blended family is shown sitting on their couch watching television as the daughter realizes the dancing show is now on Disney+. On the screen are dancers from the show doing what they do best before proclaiming, “Let the magic of dance come alive.” Soon after, they emerge from the TV and into the family’s living room as they bust some moves with the mother, father, grandparents, and the little girl as a way of saying that the show appeals to all ages. Once again, the song “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Houston plays in the background as the announcer concludes the promo, stating, “Let the magic of dance take over your world.” In the third promo, released earlier today, viewers are shown clips from the stage and behind the scenes as dancers from the show’s previous season share their journey. The text, “The show that captured hearts for 30 seasons leaps t0 Disney+” is displayed on the screen as the announcer shares tidbits on what to expect for the new season, including word that Banks will be joined by Ribeiro as the season’s hosts. Interviews, never before seen clips and more are displayed featuring previous contestants such as James Van Der Beek, Bindi Irwin and Simone Biles, among others, as they talk about their time on the show. The message “See the stars. Feel the rhythm. Experience the journey live on Disney+” concludes the promo, again featuring music from Houston, this time her hit with Kygo, “Higher Love.” “Dancing with the Stars” returns for season 31 on Monday, September 19, streaming live coast-to-coast at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT, only on Disney+. Watch the promos below. Note: The post Disney+ Launches ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Premiere Campaign to Entice Viewers to Watch Live on Streamer appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Last seen on “General Hospital” in September 2020, actress Emma Samms is returning to the daytime drama series beginning in October as her beloved character Holly Sutton. She originated the role in 1982. “I can’t believe that it’s been 40 years since I first appeared on ‘General Hospital’ and that, once again, I get to play the wonderful character of Holly Sutton,” Samms told Deadline, which first reported the news of her return. “No one is more interested in what’s happened to her since we saw her two years ago, being held captive by a mysterious villain, than me!” Although believed dead by Port Charles, viewers saw Holly very much alive but locked away in a cell in Monte Carlo where she’s being held captive by a mystery person. The storyline was to be picked up shortly after the reveal but Samms had contracted COVID. It was later revealed she had been suffering from what is called long COVID which the CDC defines as people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 who “experience long-term effects from their infection, known as post-COVID conditions (PCC)” or long COVID. The website also notes that post-COVID conditions can include “a wide range of ongoing health problems; these conditions can last weeks, months, or years.” “I am thrilled the wonderful Emma Samms will be returning to the canvas in October, so we can continue telling Holly’s story and the fans can finally see what happened after we learned she was alive and being held hostage,” said the show’s executive producer Frank Valentini in a statement released to Deadline. In a 2021 interview with Soap Opera Digest, Samms told the publication, “They set up this marvelous story right before the pandemic hit and I was really excited about coming back. And then not only was there a pandemic, but I got sick, and Frank has been just wonderfully patient and supportive and understanding, way more than I could possibly have ever hoped.” In addition to her iconic role on “GH,” Samms also starred as Fallon Carrington Colby in “Dynasty” and its spinoff series “The Colbys.” She later reprised the role in “Dynasty: The Reunion.” She also starred in such shows as “Models, Inc.” and “Doctors,” among others. Samms lent her voice to such shows as “Ghosts of Albion” and “Gargoyles.” In October 2021, Samms married former BBC News presenter Simon McCoy. Note: The post Emma Samms Returning to ‘General Hospital’ as Holly Sutton appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

No. People who believed they were releasing older episodes were ill-informed by uninformed people. No one lied to you.

Earlier this month, NBC announced that it will cease airing all-new episodes of “Days of our Lives” after the show’s current 57th season wraps next month. Season 58 will kick off on Monday, September 12 with the show moving exclusively to Peacock, the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast. The network will replace the soap with “NBC News Daily,” an hourlong news program featuring up-to-the-minute national and international news, or local news on stations opting to air alternate programming. In light of NBC’s surprise lineup change, here’s a breakdown of what we know so far. “Days of our Lives” will be available exclusively to subscribers of the streaming service’s premium plan ($4.99 with ads/$9.99 without ads). This means that after more than two years of being accessible to anyone registered with a free or paid account, viewers will now only be able to watch all-new episodes of the daytime drama series through a paid plan which includes access to thousands of hours of programming across NBCUniversal, including “The Real Housewives” franchise on Bravo, “The Voice” on NBC, and recently released blockbusters from Universal Pictures, among others. Courtesy of NBC Barring any schedule changes, the final NBC episode of “Days of our Lives” will air on Friday, September 9 with the network airing 14,418 total episodes since its debut on November 8, 1965, and just two months shy of the show’s 57th anniversary. The series is the last of what remained of NBC Daytime which was officially dissolved as a division following the move of “Passions” to DirecTV in 2007. Various departments and executives have since overseen the show for the network after several consolidations and expansions. In 2007, then NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker famously stated the soap was “unlikely to continue past 2009.” Sources tell Soap Opera Network that things are still being worked out with the move to Peacock and more information will be known as soon as next week. We’re also told that when the show moves to Peacock it will continue releasing five episodes of daily drama each week, keeping its format and frequency the same. Additionally, there are currently no plans to cut back on the number of episodes produced each year, should the show continue beyond Season 58. Additional information on migrating the show from broadcast to streaming came out today via executive producer Ken Corday from an interview with Soap Opera Digest, on newsstands now, where he revealed that the move to Peacock was already built into the show’s two-year renewal order signed back in May 2021. “The network always had the right to migrate the show exclusively to Peacock and now they’ve decided to do so, and we’re excited,” said Corday, whose production company also owns the shows. “The bottom line is, this is the future. Whether people believe it now, or in a year or two, this is the future of first-run dramatic television. Let’s just hope the migration is wonderful and our loyal viewers stick with us and subscribe.” Ken Corday Photo by Chris Haston/NBC Two seasons of “Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem” and the one-off movie “A Very Salem Christmas” likely helped NBC conclude that viewers would follow the show behind a paywall, Corday pointed out, saying, “I think ‘Beyond Salem,’ as wonderful as they were, were, in a way, a litmus test for Peacock to see how the show performed exclusively behind the paywall.” He added that the most recent chapter did well on the service, “and knowing that, they felt the best way to boost subscriptions was to migrate us.” Courtesy of Peacock The move to Peacock does not mean the show will eventually be canceled. At the moment, the move fulfills the parameters of the contract NBC agreed upon with distributor Sony Pictures Television and Corday Productions in May 2021 when the network handed the soap a two-year renewal. The choice to move the series to Peacock for the final year of the deal had more to do with a need to drive subscribers to Peacock than it did with the overall performance of “Days of our Lives” on broadcast television. However, the current tape-to-air schedule gives the soap little room to adjust to a streaming-only schedule before a decision on whether to continue the show for a 59th season needs to be made. No one is trying to kill a six-decade-old series. If anything, they are hoping to save a fledgling streaming service that without the Olympics and “Sunday Night Football” to drive signups all year round has been unable to break out in the streaming wars. Since its launch in 2020, only four series have seen at least two seasons on Peacock, including “Beyond Salem,” “Saved by the Bell,” “Rutherford Falls” and “Girls5eva.” Of the four, only “Saved by the Bell” has been officially canceled while the remaining shows await news on a possible third season. In a recent earnings call, Comcast announced subscriptions to the streaming service stalled in Q2 with 13 million paid subscribers and just 27 million monthly active accounts, down one million active accounts from what was reported in Q1 and flat with paid subscribers leaving Peacock significantly behind Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO/HBO Max, Hulu and Paramount+ in overall subscribers which is why a good amount of NBC programming currently available on Hulu will be transitioning to Peacock this fall, specifically next-day episodes of “Saturday Night Live” and “The Voice,” along with the entire libraries from “The Real Housewives, “Top Chef” and “Below Deck” franchises, among others. Courtesy of Peacock With little time left before the show transitions from broadcast television to streaming exclusively, fans can expect a promotional campaign featuring cast members appearing in public service announcements and even Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Doug Williams and Julie Williams) showing each other how to access Peacock for those needing extra guidance. Anytime there is change everyone wants to know when they’ll see it happen on air. Well, since the soap has already taped episodes through the end of February 2023, viewers won’t notice any physical changes until at least March. One expected change will be that the episode length set by the broadcast network can be extended with the move to streaming since the show will no longer have to accommodate 22 minutes of commercial time. In his interview with Soap Opera Digest, Corday wasn’t very unclear on how such a change would impact international markets considering the show could air longer episodes in the United States via Peacock but would still have to cut down on scenes for episodes airing on traditional broadcasters elsewhere. Regardless, Corday promises that in addition to longer program length the show will be able to say and do things that are more “titillating” than currently possible on broadcast television. Again, he does not indicate how either would be possible when still having to produce a show that is available in other markets. With solid support from NBC and Peacock, Corday notes, “It’s still ‘Days of our Lives’ but it’s not your mother’s ‘Days of our Lives.’ It changes, it’s growing, but in all the best ways. The network has been extremely positive, extremely encouraging, extremely happy, all the extremes, and are allaying any qualms I may have. So, it’s really wonderful to have that kind of profile from programmers and the business people that run NBC and Peacock.” In announcing the Peacock move, the service noted that all new episodes will debut on Peacock daily with the "show’s robust library already available to stream for Peacock Premium subscribers." This includes all episodes already available on the platform prior to the announcement and does not include older episodes at this time. Additionally, the historic move to Peacock creates the ultimate destination for daytime fans to access the library, new episodes and Peacock Original “Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem” in one place. A premium subscription for Peacock costs $4.99 a month (with ads) or $9.99 a month (without ads*). The higher tier requires some advertising for select programming and the ability to watch select titles offline with download capability. For more information on how to stream the series, and to register/subscribe, visit PeacockTV.com. Will you follow “Days of our Lives” to Peacock? Let us know in the comments below. Note: The post ‘Days of our Lives’: What We Know So Far About the Move to Peacock appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Lifetime is in the Milojo Productions business, the production banner owned by “All My Children” alums Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. The network recently announced two new ripped from the headlines films from the company, “Let’s Get Physical” and “The Disappearance of Cari Farver.” Both movies will air in October as part of the network’s ripped from the headlines slate which also includes “The Gabby Petito Story,” “Swindler Seduction” and “An Amish Sin.” Premiering Saturday, October 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT, “The Disappearance of Cari Farver” is based on a true story and the subject of Leslie Rule’s bestselling true-crime book, “A Tangled Web.” The movie stars Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future,” “Switched at Birth”), Zach Gilford (“Good Girls,” “Friday Night Lights”) and Alicia Witt (“Friday Night Lights,” “The Walking Dead”), and follows a man named Dave Kroupa (Gilford) who is shocked when his new girlfriend, Cari Farver (Rebecca Amzallag), starts sending him demanding texts. When Dave ends the relationship, he finds himself on the receiving end of an onslaught of twisted messages from Cari who has abruptly disappeared. Dave’s ex-girlfriend, Liz (Witt), begins receiving harassing texts from Cari resulting in a dangerous situation for them both. Meanwhile, Cari’s mother, Nancy (Thompson), continually searches for her, keeping the pressure on the police who eventually uncover a shocking discovery. On Saturday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT, “Let’s Get Physical” follows a fitness instructor who by day teaches fitness and dance to soccer moms but by night leads a double life running a sophisticated prostitution ring with a customer list that included very prominent men in the community. Starring Jenna Dewan (“The Rookie”), Jennifer Irwin (“The Goldbergs”) and Michael Consuelos (“Riverdale”), we’re introduced to Sadie (Dewan) whose studio is raided by authorities after an anonymous tip leads to an indictment and ignites a firestorm in a small town which leads everyone to ask, “who exactly was on the client list?” Dewan also executive produces. The Lifetime “Ripped from the Headlines” movie slate will premiere as follows: “The Gabby Petito Story” – October 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT“The Disappearance of Cari Farver” – Saturday, October 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT“Let’s Get Physical” – Saturday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT“Swindler Seduction” – October 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT“An Amish Sin” – October 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT Note: The post Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos to Executive Produce Two Ripped from the Headlines Movies for Lifetime appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

With Leigh-Ann Rose unavailable due to a scheduling conflict with another project, the role of Imani Benedict has been temporarily recast with “The Family Business” and “Terror Lake Drive” actress Denise Boutte, the soap announced earlier this week. With additional credits including the suspense dramas “The Missing” and “Angie’s Cure,” the latter of which will open in conjunction with the legendary Bronner Bros Hair Show in Miami on August 27-29, Boutte will first appear in Genoa City beginning with the Tuesday, September 6 episode of the daytime drama series. Lending her voice to the animated series “Young Justice” on HBO Max, Boutte is also set to co-star in the upcoming series “Kombucha Cure” for Amazon Prime. It’s understood that Boutte will appear on “Y&R” for just a handful of episodes. Note: The post Denise Boutte To Temporarily Replace Leigh-Ann Rose as Imani Benedict on ‘The Young and the Restless’ appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

For reference, the photo shoot took place in May.

Despite winning a Daytime Emmy in June for her role as Dr. Britt Westbourne on “General Hospital,” actress Kelly Thiebaud will be exiting the daytime drama series in November and will be reprising her role as Eva Vasquez on “Station 19” which returns for a sixth season on Thursday, October 6. Both series air on ABC. According to Deadline, which first reported the news, Thiebaud’s character on the “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff is the widow of fallen firefighter Rigo Vasquez (Rigo Sanchez) who appeared during the show’s third season. Eva would go on to have an affair with her husband’s colleague, Jack Gibson (Grey Damon), which created lots of drama. The publication hints the character’s return during season six of the show will include plenty of “misery” as a tease from ABC notes, “Misery loves company and Eva finds solace with someone from her past.” Joining the cast of “General Hospital” in 2012, Thiebaud exited the series in 2014 as a contract player while making brief returns in 2015, and 2017-2018. She again returned in 2020 after a brief stint on “Days of our Lives,” returning on contract in 2021. Thiebaud made her television debut in the NBC series “Chuck” and has since gone on to appear in episodes of “Castle,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Criminal Minds” and a couple of TV movies. Her first credited role is in the film “Journey of Redemption” in 2002. Note: The post Kelly Thiebaud to Exit ‘General Hospital’, Returning to ‘Station 19’ for Season 6 appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Despite airing repeats once again, both “The Price is Right” (3.855 million / 4.413 million) and “Let’s Make a Deal” (2.291 million / 2.615 million) managed to see an uptick in Total Viewers during the week of August 8-12, 2022. Also airing repeats, “The View” (1.522 million) and “The Talk” (1.186 million) managed to see gains among viewers compared to the same week last year, up +57,000 viewers and up +26,000 viewers, respectively. “The Young and the Restless” (3.292 million) fell week to week and year to year among Total Viewers. The soap was up +607,000 viewers, however, over its performance two years earlier when it returned to originals for the first time since the pandemic shutdown. “The Bold and the Beautiful” (2.916 million) was also down week to week and year to year but managed to see an increase over its comparable performance in 2020, up +469,000 viewers, when it aired its fourth consecutive week of originals following its return to production. “General Hospital” (2.042 million) was also down week to week and year to year, but it too saw an uptick compared to its 2020 performance, up +144,000 viewers, which marked its second full week back with originals. Weeks away from “Days of our Lives” ending its nearly 57-year broadcast run on NBC, the drama series saw a minor uptick, adding +17,000 viewers over the week ago period. The soap was down -70,000 viewers year to year, however. The soap still managed to see an increase over its performance in 2020, up +77,000 viewers, when it once again started to compete with the other three dramas. Only five weeks remain of the 2021-2022 broadcast television season. What follows is a breakdown of how the daytime broadcast shows performed during the week of August 8-12, 2022 in Women 18-49 rating, Women 25-54 rating, Households and Total Viewers, including a look at their comparable performance in 2021 and 2020, respectively. A closer look at the daytime soaps, including their daily performance in the demos, will be posted on Thursday. Week Of August 8-12, 2022 Rankers Women 18-49 Rating Rank / Show / NetworkThis WeekLast WeekLast Year20201. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R0.40.40.50.51. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R0.40.30.40.41. The Young and the Restless (CBS)0.40.30.40.34. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)0.30.30.40.34. General Hospital (ABC)0.30.30.30.44. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)0.30.30.50.54. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R0.30.30.40.34. The View (ABC) – R0.30.30.30.24. GMA3: What You Need to Know (ABC)0.30.20.30.34. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R0.30.20.30.311. Days of our Lives (NBC)0.20.20.30.311. TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)0.20.30.30.411. The Talk (CBS) – R0.20.20.2Source: Nielsen Women 25-54Rating Rank / Show / NetworkThis WeekLast WeekLast Year20201. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R0.70.60.70.82. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R0.60.60.60.72. The Young and the Restless (CBS)0.60.60.70.52. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)0.60.50.70.55. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)0.50.50.70.75. General Hospital (ABC)0.50.40.60.67. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R0.40.40.50.67. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R0.40.40.40.57. TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)0.40.40.50.57. Days of our Lives (NBC)0.40.30.40.511. GMA3: What You Need to Know (ABC)0.30.30.40.411. The View (ABC) – R0.30.40.40.411. The Talk (CBS) – R0.30.30.3NRSource: Nielsen Households Rank / Show / NetworkThis WeekLast WeekLast Year20201. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R2.82.72.83.22. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R2.42.32.42.93. The Young and the Restless (CBS)2.32.32.32.04. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)2.02.02.11.85. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R1.71.71.82.26. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R1.51.51.51.97. General Hospital (ABC)1.41.41.51.48. Days of our Lives (NBC)1.21.21.21.29. The View (ABC) – R1.01.61.01.29. GMA3: What You Need to Know (ABC)1.01.01.01.011. The Talk (CBS) – R0.80.90.8NR. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)N/A1.4N/A1.6. TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)N/A1.1N/A1.1Source: Nielsen Total Viewers Rank / Show / NetworkThis WeekLast WeekLast Year20201. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R4,413,0004,207,0004,269,0004,599,0002. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R3,855,0003,651,0003,707,0004,090,0003. The Young and the Restless (CBS)3,292,0003,312,0003,441,0002,685,0004. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)2,916,0003,028,0003,044,0002,447,0005. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R2,615,0002,650,0002,736,0003,035,0006. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R2,291,0002,250,0002,353,0002,592,0007. General Hospital (ABC)2,042,0002,102,0002,200,0001,898,0008. Days of our Lives (NBC)1,683,0001,666,0001,753,0001,606,0009. GMA3: What You Need to Know (ABC)1,586,0001,576,0001,519,0001,378,00010. The View (ABC) – R1,522,0002,245,0001,465,0001,437,00011. TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)1,402,0001,512,000N/A1,489,00012. The Talk (CBS) – R1,186,0001,429,0001,160,000NR. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)N/A2,022,000N/A2,104,000Source: Nielsen Note: The numbers above are calculated using Live+Same Day viewing and DVR playback, defined as 3:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m, and are courtesy of Nielsen. Household ratings are the percentage of TV homes in the U.S. tuned into television. *Notable Preemptions/Schedule Changes “Let’s Make a Deal” aired reruns all week.“The Price is Right” aired reruns all week.“The Talk” aired reruns all week.“The View” aired reruns all week. Note: The post Daytime Broadcast Ratings for the Week of August 8-12, 2022 appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Nearly 10 years since joining the cast of “The Bold and the Beautiful” in the contract role of Quinn Fuller, later Sharpe and currently Forrester, actress Rena Sofer will conclude her run at the Television City-produced daytime drama series when her final episode airs Monday, August 29. “Friday, August 5 was not just my daughter’s birthday but the end of my 9year run as Quinn on @boldandbeautifulcbs,” wrote Sofer on Instagram, announcing her exit from the series. “I know it’s heartbreaking for some and it is for me as well, but it’s time for me to move on with both my acting career and my pottery career. Thank you all for your support over the last 9 years and in the future! And check out Renasoferceramics.com for the other side of my life!!” In an upcoming interview with Soap Opera Digest, on newsstands Friday, Sofer shares more about her decision to leave the series. “I had already decided this was going to be my last contract, but when they finished the story of Quinn and Carter [Lawrence Saint-Victor] coming together, it seemed like the right time,” she explains to the magazine. “On to bigger and better things!” Sofer concluded in a Twitter post following her shocking exit announcement. Note: The post Rena Sofer to Exit ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

She's still airing this month so her last tape date was August 5.

Months after it was reported that former “General Hospital” and “Chicago Justice” actress Lindsey Pearlman had left behind two suicide notes before her body was found in a car parked near Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles on February 18, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office has officially listed the manner and cause of her death, therefore closing the case which up until recently had been deferred pending additional investigation. The 43-year-old died by suicide the coroner’s office indicated with the cause of death noted as “sodium nitrite toxicity.” According to the LAPD, at around 8:30 a.m. on Friday, February 18, officers responded to a radio call for a death investigation at Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue. The body was later confirmed to be that of Pearlman whose full name was Lindsey Erin Pearlman. TMZ, citing law enforcement sources, reported days later that Pearlman had called her husband, Vance Smith, the day before her body was found telling him her intention to end her life. “Her husband contacted police in a frantic effort to find Lindsey. He never saw her alive again,” the website stated. Appearing on “General Hospital” over two episodes aired in January 2020, Pearlman portrayed the role of barista Margaret “Maggie” McMorris. She shared scenes with series stars Maurice Benard, Steve Burton and Max Gail when their characters traveled to Brooklyn, NY so that Sonny (Benard) could get Mike (Gail) to take part in a clinical trial to help treat his Alzheimer’s disease. In a clip (shown below), Pearlman’s Maggie was used as a human shield at the Brooklyn Union Pub where she worked when Jason (Burton) shot a hitman to save her life. In addition to her recurring role on “General Hospital,” Pearlman’s other television credits included such shows as “Selena: The Series,” “American Housewife,” “The Purge,” “Chicago Justice” and “Empire,” among others. She also appeared as the lead in such films as “Signal to Noise” and “Pry Me Open.” In theatre, she appeared in numerous productions, including “Trevor,” “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues,” and “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.” Note: The post ‘General Hospital’ Actress Lindsey Pearlman — Cause of Death Confirmed by L.A. County Coroner’s Office appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

A prolific career in daytime television, writing for such soaps as “Capitol,” “As The World Turns” and “One Life to Live,” former “Beverly Hills, 90210” writer/producer Jessica Klein has died. She was just 66 years of age. Klein passed away on July 13, 2022 at 8:21 a.m. with her family by her side at her home in Beverly Hills, CA, her daughter, Shira Rose, revealed in a Facebook post. “It was peaceful. We were together,” Rose said. Klein was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November of last year. Best known for her work on the primetime soap “Beverly Hills, 90210” as a writer and producer over six seasons on the series, Klein was married to the late Steve Wasserman who died in 1998 after falling overboard during a sailing trip. He was 45 years old at the time. While not always working side by side at the same time, the two did find themselves overlapping with writing credits on “Capitol” and “As The World Turns,” and primetime shows such as “Northern Exposure,” “Mancuso, F.B.I” and “Gabriel’s Fire,” along with their work on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Klein would go on to marry Isaac Levenbrown in 2000, a painter and audiovisual expert. In 2011, the couple relocated to Virginia where Klein began teaching screenwriting courses at Drexel University. Following his death in 2014, Klein relocated to Toronto and returned to Los Angeles in 2018. Klein joined the online reboot of “One Life to Live” in 2013 as a writer with credits for all 39 produced episodes. She later worked as a supervising producer on the show “The Other Kingdom” and a consulting producer on the Nickelodeon series “Make It Pop.” In addition to her daughter, Klein is survived by her stepchildren, Josh, Brittany and Jonathan; her grandchildren, Shayna, Mendel, Zisi, Asher, Lily and Elliott; and her brother, David. Note: The post R.I.P. Jessica Klein – Former ‘As The World Turns’ and ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Writer/Producer Dies at 66 appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Actress Zuleyka Silver has joined the cast of CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” as a high-powered executive named Audra Charles who’s lured to town by one of Genoa City’s business icons. She’ll first air on the soap beginning Friday, September 23. Previously appearing in such shows as “Young Sheldon,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Code Black” and “The Mentalist,” the Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico-born actress has had a recurring role on late night series “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” playing Mrs. Guillermo in comedy segments opposite Guillermo Rodriguez since 2015. Earlier this year she appeared in a segment for “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” Silver’s other credits include roles in “Big Time Rush,” “90210,” “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and “9-1-1.” She’s also set to appear in at least one episode of “Freeridge,” the upcoming spinoff series of Netflix’s “On My Block.” Watch a recent TikTok of Silver (in the beige top) below where she shares info on her type of guy. Note: The post Zuleyka Silver to Play High-Powered Executive on ‘The Young and the Restless’ appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Let’s not forget that all cameras used on DAYS are Sony cameras so new cameras doesn’t mean much. Without hearing the full interview (at last check, the link was dead), we don’t know when new cameras were ordered, who ordered them or how long they’d been in use.

“Days of our Lives” has cast actress/model and social media influencer Jessica Serfaty as Sloan, Leo’s lawyer who he hopes will help clear his name in the murder of Abigail Deveraux now that he’s suspect numero uno. Photo by Evans Vestal Ward/Peacock In an interview published in the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest, on newsstands now, Leo’s portrayer, Greg Rikaart, explains that his character is scared after Chad (Billy Flynn) and Jada (Elia Cantu) find evidence that he had been hiding in the DiMera secret room, leading them to believe he was the one responsible for Abigail’s death. “He thinks that things look bad for him because there is, in fact, evidence against him,” says Rikaart. “It’s not evidence that he committed murder, but it’s certainly circumstantial evidence that puts him at the scene of the crime.” While in police custody where he’s being questioned by Shawn (Brandon Beemer), Leo declares his innocence which leads to the introduction of Sloan. “She’s regarded as being a hotshot lawyer, and Leo believes in her. He feels like she’s his ticket out of this mess,” says Rikaart of the new face in Salem. Beyond her interactions with Leo, look for Sloan to arrive in Salem on Thursday, August 18 and to share scenes with Gwen (Emily O Brien), Melinda (Tina Huang), Rafe (Galen Gering), Sonny (Zach Tinker) and even Alex (Robert Scott Wilson), the latter of which will be on an intimate level. Sloan Serfaty, who also goes by Jessica Michel on social media, made a name for herself in 2010 as a contestant on “America’s Next Top Model.” In recent years she’s had starring roles in such shows as “The Professionals” and “The Hack Job.” In recent Instagram Stories postings, Serfaty has been sharing clips of her and her friends, including actress Bella Thorne, while on vacation in Ibiza, Spain. She has over 1.1 million followers on the social media platform. Note: The post Social Media Influencer Jessica Serfaty Joins ‘Days of our Lives’ as Salem’s New Legal Eagle appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Personally, I feel the title for the poll is incorrect. You're not paying $4.99 to watch Days on Peacock. That's the price for Peacock itself. It should have been "Will you pay a monthly subscription for Peacock?"? Similarly, I think polls should be created for the other streamers as well just to see if people are willing to pay for any of them. Currently, I pay for Netflix + DVD (it's a legacy account), Prime Video (via annual Prime plan), Hulu+Live TV, Paramount+ (student discount rate), Disney+ and HBO Max (free via legacy AT&T wireless service). I have a free Peacock account which I've been unwilling to upgrade. Yes, it's five bucks but until now I've yet to be given a reason to subscribe.

“Grey’s Anatomy” alums Sarah Drew and Justin Breuning (“All My Childen”) are set to reunite in Lifetime’s “Reindeer Games Homecoming,” part of the network’s upcoming “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” holiday lineup it was announced today during Lifetime’s TCA session. Drew will pull triple duty as the star, executive producer, and writer of the movie which follows MacKenzie Graves (Drew), a brilliant, competitive, crossword puzzle-loving Biology teacher in Vermont who recently lost her father, beloved fire chief and the heart of the town’s holiday fundraising tradition “The Reindeer Games.” Every year since his death, she competes with her dad’s former team, a group of colorful retired firefighters, to win the Games and keep his tradition alive. This holiday, however, her world is rocked when fading Hollywood star, and Mac’s high school crush, Chase Weston (Bruening), comes home for Christmas to visit his pregnant sister and nephew and is begrudgingly roped into participating in the Games. When the opportunity to compete against her former mega crush arises, Mac is determined to show him up and win the Kris Kringle Cup at all costs. As the competition heats up, so does the spark between Mac and Chase, and Chase soon finds himself eager to not only win the games, but also win her heart as well. Brian Sills also stars. “Reindeer Games Homecoming” is produced by Johnson Production Group for Off Camera Entertainment. Stephanie Slack, Margret Huddleston, Sarah Drew, and Tim Johnson serve as executive producers. The film is directed by Brian Herzlinger with a script written by Drew. The full “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” slate and airdates will be announced this fall. Note: The post Lifetime Reunites ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Alums Sarah Drew and Justin Bruening with ‘Reindeer Games Homecoming’ appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

It's my understanding that the reason behind the move to the Television Academy is with the booming popularity of game shows in primetime the shows airing at night are now eligible for Emmys whereas they previously couldn't get awarded. With the increased competition there, IMO, it'll be less likely that true daytime game shows like "The Price is Right" and "Let's Make a Deal" will ever get the win, if even a nomination.

As part of Lifetime’s upcoming slate of holiday movies, under the “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” umbrella, soaper Justin Gaston (“Days of our Lives,” “The Young and the Restless”) will star alongside Rita Moreno and Marissa Jaret Winokur in “Santa Bootcamp” which is being directed by Melissa Joan Hart who the network has dubbed their “Queen of Christmas” following her previous efforts behind the camera with the Lifetime films “The Santa Con,” “Feliz NaviDAD,” and “The Watcher.” Announced during Lifetime’s TCA session, the movie follows an event planner, Emily Strauss (Emily Kinney), who is hired by mall magnate, Ed Mancini (Patrick Cassidy), to stage the ultimate Christmas Gala for his most influential investors. To make that happen, Emily finds herself being sent to bootcamp – Santa Bootcamp – to find the perfect Santa and inspiration she will need to make the evening a success. While there, Emily meets Belle (Moreno), the bootcamp’s drill sergeant with a heart of gold, who helps Emily rediscover the magic of Christmas and find romance along the way. In a statement, EGOT winner Moreno said, “I have always been a holiday person… particularly Christmas. The idea that I’m actually going to participate in this wonderful Lifetime Christmas movie, ‘Santa Bootcamp,’ just tickles me to no end.” She added, “I have been known, at Christmas time, to decorate anyone in my house who happens to stand still for more than a minute. I will decorate anyone and anything because I turn into a child. Therefore, what a treat for me! Thank you Lifetime. My grandchildren are already celebrating!” To help showcase the network’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, the film also includes deaf actors Deanne Bray and Zyra Singleton as part of the cast. John Schuck also stars. In addition to directing, Hart serves as executive producer along with Irene Dreayer, Gina Rugolo Judd, and Paula Hart. The film is produced by Hartbreak Films Inc with a script written by Michael J. Murray. The full “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” slate and airdates will be announced this fall. Note: The post Justin Gaston to Star in ‘Santa Bootcamp’ Alongside Rita Moreno and Marissa Jaret Winokur for Lifetime appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More

Depends on the wording of the contract. I'm sure with Peacock being part of DAYS' contract, it was worded that they could move it but no one thought they actually would.

As part of their agreement on realigning Emmy Awards by Genre and not by daypart, The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) and the Television Academy announced today that Game Show categories will no longer be awarded during the annual Daytime Emmy Awards telecast which is overseen by NATAS and will instead be presented by the Television Academy beginning in 2023. The eligibility period for nominations has been extended to help with the migration to the Television Academy Emmys with an 18-month window, January 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023. According to the new rules, a program with game elements must primarily take place in-studio and involve mental challenges to be eligible for Outstanding Game Show. They must be self-contained or carry-over (winner continues to next episode) and cannot be arced. As for Outstanding Host for a Game Show, the award will be presented to the “master of ceremony” host(s) for a continuing performance in a Game Show. To avoid confusion between Outstanding Game Show and Outstanding Competition Program (which awards programs with reality-style, skill-based competitions), the category for the latter will be revised to Outstanding Reality Competition Program. To recap, the new categories under the Television Academy are as follows: Outstanding Game ShowOutstanding Host for a Game ShowOutstanding Reality Competition Program Game shows and reality competition programs with solely children as contestants must enter in the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.During “The 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” presentation in June, Steve Harvey won for Outstanding Game Show Host for hosting “Family Feud.” Meanwhile, “Jeopardy!” won for Outstanding Game Show. Note: The post Game Show Categories Exit Daytime Emmys Competition, Heading to Primetime appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website. Read More