Daytime Suds Update

Got some quick soap news to report to you today before I forget. As always, I get all my soap news from Soapcentral.com but in the very rare case you haven't been there, I report it back here and give you links. Aren't I nice? :P

---Well, the scheduled return date for Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH) was supposed to be next month, however it was just announced a couple of days ago that she will not be returning just yet and Jen Lilley, Storms' replacement, will be continuing in the role 'for the foreseeable future.' I never like hearing that phrase--usually it means either the actor will not be returning at all and they have decided to continue on with the recast, or the actor will not be returning for months and there's no longer a return date in sight. Storms has been off tv since September battling endometriosis. Hope there wasn't a complication with her condition. Get better soon and come back, Kirsten!

---In more GH news, remember awhile ago when I said that in some locations, GH was being bumped off the air, signaling what some (myself included) felt might be the first death bell for the show? Perhaps there was some weight to it--last week Soapcentral announced that the soap could go primetime instead--who remembers a few years ago when GH did a primetime series during the summer for SoapNet? I loved it personally. According to the news report, whispers are going around that GH could be moved to a primetime slot and be continued as a short-term summer series instead of a daily daytime one. That's a loud enough death bell for me, I don't know about the rest of you. With Brian Frons out, the vision for ABC's daytime programming has shifted and if talks like this are already occurring then it doesn't look too good for the future of the soap. In essence, even if the show is moved to primetime, it is still the death bell--GH is a daytime soap. It seems like moving the show to primetime--where its against major shows--and turning it into a summer series is to pacify those who don't want the show off the air yet. Not diggin' the idea at all. So let's hope those are just whispers in the night that won't see the light of day. Somehow though, I don't truly believe they're just whispers in the night...I can see cancellation or other changes to the soap coming sooner than ABC is willing to say. With the upcoming cancellation of SoapNet, therefore ending all replays of the soaps still on the air and any chance for a 2nd season of the GH primetime summer series, this really doesn't look good.

---In DOOL news, the return of Tanya Boyd (Celeste) was announced, but due to scheduling conflicts, she has had to decline her return, prompting a last-minute hiring of Beverly Todd to take over Celeste's short-term return. She is due to air in April.

---Hillary B. Smith (ex-Nora, OLTL) has signed on the dotted line to play Dr. Stacy, the new sex therapist setting up shop on B&B; the announcement was made last weekend.

---Speaking of B&B, they have made the decision to bump both Brandon Beemer (Owen) and Zack Conroy (Oliver) off of contract status; it is still unknown whether or not they will be on recurring status or written off entirely.

---Finally some Pine Valley casting news--Susan Lucci (come on now, like she needs me to remind you all who she played lol) has been announced as the new host of a show debuting on the ID Channel this fall quite aptly named Deadly Affairs. Doesn't that sound like an Erica Kane talk show special? lol The reality series will delve into stories of real-life betrayal and love triangles. They couldn't have picked a better host and I will be reviewing the show for the RBR (Random Bitchy Reviews, duh!) when it premieres.

---These are probably a little older in news, but both Lisa Rinna (Billie, DOOL) & Bryan Dattilo (Lucas, DOOL) will be returning in the weeks to come. The returns were announced within a week of each other early last month; Rinna is slated to air in March; it is still unclear whether her stay is recurring or permanent. The last time we saw Billie, Julie Pinson was in the role; Lisa Rinna hasn't played Billie since 2003. Dattilo's first scenes are due to air sometime next month. Again, the duration of the stay was not specified. Welcome home!

---Genoa City will soon be adding a new resident--Catherine Bach, or Daisy Duke as most remember her by, will be joining the canvas as Anita, Chelsea's mother. She is due to begin airing on February 7th.

---And finally, to clarify last week's statements made by ABC when it was announced that Llanview's Manning family as well as John McBain would be setting up shop in Port Charles, Kassie dePaiva (Blair) informed her fans that the ads and announcement were a little misleading; instead of a permanent stay as we were told, the crossover is on a short-term basis.


Well, I guess that wraps up this week's Daytime Suds Update. Check back with me next week for more!