As the World Turns
Heather Rattray and Noelle Beck as Lily Walsh Snyder: In 1989, successful recast Martha Byrne chose to leave the role of Lily and was recast with Rattray, who was deemed 'cold' in the role. In 1993, prior to his passing, Douglas Marland was successful in returning Byrne to the role, which co-star Jon Hensley welcomed following what he described as a 'difficult' recast with Rattray. Byrne's second exit in 2008, due to a contract dispute, brought Beck into the role; however, reception was chilly. While she may have won over some of the audience by the conclusion of the soap in 2010, fans still desired for Byrne to return one final time. Beck even opted to drop to recurring status and offered to step out of the role to allow for Byrne to return prior to the finale, but this was nixed by executive producer Chris Goutman, who stated there were no plans for Byrne to return to the role.
The Bold and the Beautiful
Marla Adams and Robin Riker as Beth Logan: Following the successful recast of Nancy Burnett in the role of Beth Logan, the role was recast in 1990 with Adams; despite her considerable talent, Adams' Beth is not who the fans wanted to see. Burnett would reprise the role for several guest appearances from 1994 to 2001. In 2008, the character was reintroduced, this time with Riker, who, much like Adams, was not warmly welcomed in the role. Riker exited the role in 2010, when Beth was killed off.
Emily Harrison as Bridget Forrester: Much like another recast below, Harrison was brought in to replace exiting fan favourite Jennifer Finnigan. However, she was not the right fit, and was quickly replaced with another fan favourite Ashley Jones, who still appears in the role 21 years later.
Days of Our Lives
Robin Strasser and Linda Dano as Vivian Alamain: Despite being fan favourites on other soaps, both Strasser and Dano were never accepted as replacements for Louise Sorel in the role of Vivian; following both recasts, Sorel did reprise the role with a positive response from audiences.
EastEnders
Jenna Russell as Michelle Fowler: The character of Michelle was one fans of this soap wanted to return for nearly two decades; much to the pleasure of fans, the soap announced the character's return in 2016, but this turned to displeasure when it was revealed fan favourite Susan Tully was not returning, and Russell was cast. Less than two years later, Russell departed the role.
Emmerdale
Samantha Power as Tina Dingle: If there is one thing English soap viewers do better than American, it is pan a recast of a popular soap character. Such is the case of Power's casting as the ever-popular Tina Dingle, who returned to the canvas in 2024 after Jacqueline Pirie's 1996 exit from the role, who did wish Power well in the role. Needless to say, those sentiments did not extend from the audience or the critics, wh felt Power's take on the role was too removed from Pirie's take.
General Hospital
Jennifer Bransford as Carly Corinthos: Bransford was brought in to replace fan favourite Tamara Braun and was panned from the moment she debuted. To this day, she is often ignored and was also not included in the infamous 2014 "Carlypalooza" episode. Bransford only lasted seven months in the role before Laura Wright was cast.
Lesli Kay as Lois Cerullo: Fans wanted Rena Sofer to reprise her iconic role so it was a surprise when in 2004 it was announced As the World Turns actor Kay was cast in the role. At the time, Sofer revealed she had not been asked to reprise the role and felt hurt by this. Needless to say, Kay was unsuccessful in the role, as by the following year, she was dropped to recurring status (never to appear again) and found success in another recast⏤Felicia Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. Sofer did return to the role, to much fanfare, in 2023.
Brooke Anne Smith as Molly Lansing-Davis: I mean, does this need to be explained? Minivan-mom Molly was not right for the role at all, despite her brother going off on social media that she was there to stay.
Ryan's Hope
Robin Mattson as Delia Ryan: When Ilene Kristen left the role in 1979, the soap successfully replaced her with Randall Edwards (and interim pinch-hitter Robyn Millan). When Kristen left the role for a second time, it proved difficult when producers sought to replicate the success of General Hospital by bringing in Mattson in the role of Delia. After only her initial six-month contract, Mattson left the role and Kristen returned.
Santa Barbara
Kimberly McArthur and Eileen Davidson as Kelly Capwell Conrad: McArthur's choice of casting is often seen due to her resemblance to exiting actress Robin Wright. However, she lasted less than a year in the role and was replaced by Carrington Garland. Garland's recasting was a success with fans; however, in 1991, the Dobsons returned and opted to present an 'older' Kelly and cast Davidson in the role. Despite her talent, reception for Davidson was not as accepting as that of Wright or Garland.
The Young and the Restless
Luke Kleintank as Noah Newman: Kleintank was cast as Noah in 2010 as an 'older' take on the role, replacing Kevin Schmidt. He only lasted seven episodes, exiting in 2011, with Schmidt returning.
Eden Riegel and Jennifer Landon as Heather Stevens: In 2010, All My Children fan favourite Riegel announced she opted to accept the role of Heather over Bianca, leading to the successful recast of Christina Bennett Lind in her latter role. Riegel would not receive the same acceptance, with many feeling she was miscast in the role. Landon's casting, while a bit warmer than Riegel's, met the same kind of response. Original actress Vail Bloom returned to the role in 2023 to a positive response but exited the role in the following year to a lukewarm response.
Maura West as Diane Jenkins: West's casting as Diane is often seen as one of confusion, with fans feeling she was 'too young' to play the role (especially following the successful recast of Susan Walters from Alex Donnelley in 2001) and would have better suited a character like Grace Turner. At the time of her exit, West revealed TPTB were already planning to recast the role when CBS offered the part to her, felt that by week two there was zero interest in the character from anyone, foresaw her exit long before it happened, and felt that she should not have taken the role. The character was killed off in 2011, and was later revived in 2022, with Walters reassuming the role to positive reception.
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Liberty City ·
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