Any storylines altered or dropped because of real world factors?

[Nixor]

I think Guiding Light was planning to explore Bridget and Hart as a couple before Leonard Stabb had his tragic accident back in the early 90s. 

[applcin]

Speaking of GL, didn't Jordan Clarke's personal problems alter course for the character of Billy a couple of times?

Clint Ritchie's tractor accident and his not being replaced on OLTL led to the Sloan/Viki relationship proceeding without her husband Clint's presence.
 

[Frank2803]

My memory is kind of fuzzy.

What happened to the Frank Williams character on Knots Landing after actor Larry Riley passed away from AIDs?

[Roman]

the season premiere was affected because Hagman was not there, but once he signed his new contract, in the very lasyt scene of part 1, he's laying in his hospital bed. they used a double and didn't show his face for the entirety of that episode.

[Frank2803]

Wow I didn't know they used a double in that episode 

[Nicholas Blair]

When Eileen Letchworth (Margo Flax) wanted to take time off from AMC to have a face lift, Agnes Nixon wrote the face lift into the show.

[Wendy]

Always MUCH preferred Zander/Emily, so the fact that Rebecca (Emily's unknown twin - who sucked) ran off with Zander lookalike Aaron on a plane seemed sort of like a last laugh for the Zander/Emily fans who, IMO, got completely screwed over for Nik/Emily. As did the character of Zander, even if Chad Brannon did get an Emmy [when they were still more than a participation trophy] out of it.

[carolineg]

I adored CB's Zander and thought he was great with AT's Emily.  The writing just became so oddly bias against him.   He is a character that should not have been killed off.  I am going to only say this once and I am sure I am going to get massive hate for this but NL had the best chemistry with MB.   The idea of the pairing was just so icky and weird but they did have chemistry and NL had like anti chemistry with everyone else

[Paul Raven]

The real life and unexpected deaths of Brenda Benet (Lee DOOL) and Douglass Watson (Mac AW) obviously altered planned storylines.

[Vee]

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[carolineg]

I know. lol  But out of all NL's pairings I did think her and MB did have some chemistry.  Like if she wasn't Emily and some random petite brunette Sonny picked up I might have liked it.  NL was never exuding chemistry with anyone, so I'll stand by my take reluctantly.

[Xanthe]

I remember reading an interview, probably in the 80s, with an actress who described how her personal moral code led her to refuse to play some storyline in which her character would have transgressed. I don't think it was a hot-button issue like abortion -- it might have been as run-of-the-mill for soaps as adultery? I have not been able to track down any more specific details regarding who, what, or when but maybe someone else knows what I am thinking of.

[te.]

I think the character just quietly moved out of town. Not sure if it happened on screen or off screen between seasons (LR died June 1992).

[AbcNbc247]

I think they said he just moved away.

[SteelCity]

I actually think she had amazing chemistry with Jason Thompson.