Soaps News

Hey suds fans!

It's Daniel R. Coleridge stopping by for a quick visit.

Although I announced my departure in TV Guide Magazine and here on the TVGuide.com site, some of you seem confused about what the heck happened to me.

I just posted an open letter in my MySpace blog. It's a quick update on what I've been up to... I hope this helps!

Click here to read my letter to the fans.

Lotsa love,

Daniel

Dear suds fans,

It's time for me to say good-bye.

I've spent nearly eight years here at TV Guide and TVGuide.com, covering everything from the Oscars to the Daytime Emmys. But nothing's been more fun than my past couple of years in the soap suds!

Now I'm heading off to a dream job with SOAPnet/ABC Daytime. I'll be their new editorial poohbah overseeing lots of Internet stuff, including SOAPnet.com and ABC's official sites for All My Children, General Hospital, One Life to Live and The View. So I'll definitely be maintaining a soapy presence online.

Keep watching tvguide.com/soap-operas to see what's new and what's next for TVGuide.com's daytime drama coverage. I'm sure it'll be faboo.

Meanwhile, never fear... Your Daily Updates will still be posted here every day, without fail. I have commanded my invisible minions to keep up those info-packed storyline recaps for you after I'm gone.

I'll miss ya! You can keep up with my life after TV Guide via danielcoleridge.com.

Lotsa love,
Daniel

P.S. I'm posting this recent photo for all those who said they didn't enjoy the tiny long-haired pic at the top of this blog. I finally got a haircut! FYI, I look just a little windblown here because I was riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. Yikes! It's really high up there.

I've got lots of fresh General Hospital stuff to serve up, kids. So if you can't get enough of the residents of Port Charles, this is your lucky day:

• Read my new Soaps Q&A with Kimberly McCullough (Dr. Robin Scorpio) about her primetime turn on General Hospital: Night Shift, which premieres Thursday, July 12 at 11 pm/ET on SOAPnet. McCullough also dishes TV mum Finola Hughes' return to GH as superspy Anna Devane on Friday, July 13.

• Need a good summer beach read? A juicy memoir by the late, beloved Anna Lee — who played GH's Lila Quartermaine for 25 years — just came out. Get all the details in my Daniel's Dish blog.

• Our own TV Guide Network will air InFANity: General Hospital on Monday, July 23 at 9 pm/ET. Should be a treat for suds fans, so don't miss it!

As previously reported, Phil Carey quit ABC's One Life to Live when his contract expired in April. Since the veteran daytimer declined to go on recurring status, his Asa Buchanan character will die off screen. Sure, it's a bummer. But fortunately, Mr. Carey — who turns 82 this month — will receive a fitting farewell tribute this summer.

Several of Llanview's legacy characters will appear in the 10,000th episode on Friday, August 17. As you might guess, they'll be attending Asa's funeral. Here's the list:

• James DePaiva (Max Holden)
• Nathan Fillion (Joey Buchanan)
• Dan Gauthier (Kevin Buchanan)
• John Loprieno (Cord Roberts)
• Tonja Walker (Alex Olanov)

Before you ask, Andrea Evans — who used to play OLTL vixen Tina Lord — is not among the visiting alumni. She's still acting on NBC's Passions as slutty socialite Rebecca Hotchkiss Crane.

Anyway, look for some fun stuff leading up to OLTL's milestone episode. As a special wink to the audience, the ABC soap will mention the number 10,000 in every episode from July 30 to August 10.

"10,000 shows is a remarkable achievement," says executive producer Frank Valentini, who started work at OLTL with episode #4209 back in 1985. "I am extremely proud to be part of a show that has been able to make such an enduring mark on popular culture."

"With immense pride, I congratulate all of the talented and dedicated people over many years who are responsible for the heartwarming success of One Life to Live," adds creator Agnes Nixon.

Are you as psyched as I am for all those returning favorites? I'm particularly tickled to see the handsome Nathan Fillion — who costars with Keri Russell in Waitress — come back and pay respect to the afternoon sudser that gave him his start. Classy move.

Speaking of ABC soaps, have you heard that Mr. Fillion is up for a juicy role on Desperate Housewives this fall?

Just a friendly reminder that our Soaps Previews go up fresh on Fridays, offering you a sneak peek at next week's suds stories.

Just click here for all the ABC, CBS and NBC teasers for the week of July 9-13. I've sprinkled in a few extra juicy scooplets this time!

Oh, and be sure to vote in our Soaps Poll to let me know how you feel about Viki and David on One Life to Live. Personally, I voted yes all the way.

FYI, I'm off enjoying a long weekend but there'll be more Soaps News served up on Monday, I promise. Hope you're having yourself a warm and wonderful summer.

This just in... Infamous talk-show host Jerry Springer will guest star on NBC's Days of our Lives on Thursday, July 26.

Springer will play Pete, a Las Vegas high roller who schools the nerdy Nick Fallon (Blake Berris) in the ways of blackjack and women. He'll visit the Days set to tape his episode on Monday, July 9.

"In light of the fact that I deal with real-life soap operas every day," says Springer, "it's a total thrill to actually be able to appear on one — particularly of the stature of Days of our Lives."

Springer kinda has to say that, since NBC is home to both Days and America's Got Talent, which he now hosts. But hey, there's nothing wrong with a lil' cross-promotion!

Speaking of shameless plugs, here's a photo of me interviewing Springer on the red carpet at the 34th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Very nice guy.

UPDATE: Springer's episode was originally set to air on Friday, July 27, but will now air Thursday, July 26. This story has been updated to reflect the scheduling change.

Married soap stars Kelley Menighan Hensley and Jon Hensley — aka Emily and Holden of CBS' As the World Turns — just welcomed their third child into the world.

Georgia Grace was born Thursday, June 28 at 8:05 am/ET. The little girl, whose nickname is Gigi, weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 19 inches long. She joins big sister Sophie May, 8, and big brother Spencer, 5.

FYI, Kelley's off on maternity leave, so look for her Emily character to temporarily exit Oakdale on Friday, July 13.

Congrats to the Hensleys on the newest addition to their family!

Greetings, suds fans! I just finished spending a day on jury duty. Ah, the joys of civic duty. Luckily, I didn't get assigned to a trial, so it's back to blogging away right here. Time for some soap dish from NBC's Days of our Lives.

• Frances Reid — aka Grandma Alice Horton — returns to your TV screens this week after a long absence that had her fans worried. Watch for the beloved 93-year-old soap veteran at Bo and Hope's Fourth of July barbeque. Here's a lil' sneak peek photo of Alice and Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) celebrating the holiday Horton style.

• Also on July 4, daytime newcomer Denise Boutte joins Days as Jett Carver's sexy fiancée, Danielle.

• Fan faves Alison Sweeney (Sami) and James Scott (EJ) have now taken on dual roles. Look for them to start playing Colleen Brady and Santo DiMera on Monday, July 9. This ought to please all of you "EJami" fans who have been mailing me postcards in support of a Sweeney-Scott coupling for months!

• Happily, Thaao Penghlis (Tony DiMera) has also gone back to playing dual roles. Look for Tony's troublesome look-alike cousin, Andre, to resurface in Salem on Tuesday, July 17. Wow! That sure brings back memories, doesn't it?

Good news! General Hospital goddess Natalia Livingston — aka the long-suffering Dr. Emily Quartermaine — has signed a new deal with the ABC sudser.

Ms. Livingston, 31, issued this rather dramatic statement this morning:

"I have no doubt that my fans, friends and family at GH will easily distinguish between fact and fiction, reject sensationalist headlines, Internet blogsites, and know that if a statement didn't sound like something I would say, I simply did not say it. I released one official statement awhile back when contract negotiations were at a standstill and I am speaking out now... and this is it.

"GH and I started contract negotiations several months ago... both wanting to work something out. We have finally come to a deal where both sides are very happy.

"With that said, I am, have been, and will always be incredibly grateful to GH for giving me such a wonderful job. I love and treasure every single day on the show. I support the writers and producers 100 percent, and am so excited to continue to work with the GH team in the upcoming storyline."

Congrats Natalia! By the way, GH's rep assures me that she wasn't talkin' 'bout moi with that crack about "Internet blogsites." I feel better.

As previously reported, TV sitcom veteran Georgia Engel (Mary Tyler Moore, Everybody Loves Raymond) appears in the Friday, June 29 episode of Passions. Engle plays a good witch in the NBC soap's spoof of Broadway's Wicked.

TVGuide.com has a hilarious video clip of one of the musical numbers. Just visit our Passions show page to watch it!

Save the date:

Eden Riegel is reprising her signature soap role as Bianca Montgomery on ABC's All My Children. FYI, it's just for one day on Tuesday, August 14.

However, it sounds like this will be a very significant episode.

Watch for Bianca to make an important long-distance call to big sister Kendall (Alicia Minshew) from Paris, where she resides with her toddler daughter, Miranda. I rang up AMC's new head writers, Barbara J. Esensten and James Harmon Brown, to grill them about it.

"We wrote her into the show, crossing our fingers that we could get her back," Esensten told TVGuide.com. "Something is happening on the show that's so important that we had to. She was kind enough to come back because the story really is important enough."

The writers remained vague about the details of this upcoming storyline, but they dropped a few hints. "It's a big story," Esensten said. "It interweaves everybody on the canvas. Everybody has an interest in what happens during this event. But I'll tell you this much: It's not going to be an explosion or a serial killer."

"We're retiring serial killers for awhile," Brown added with a chuckle.

"This event involves Jack, Erica, Kendall, Ryan and Zach," Brown continued. "Because of what happens to these core characters, there will be a domino effect that affects their lives — and just about everyone else's — for the next year and beyond."

Talk about a tease!

By the way, even if AMC couldn't get Eden Riegel back for this cameo appearance, they wouldn't have considered recasting Bianca.

"As you know, the actress has other things she'd like to do," Brown said. "We love the character of Bianca. But I think [Riegel] is so definitively Bianca that the idea of recasting the character is just not an option."

Truer words were never spoken. Could you imagine anyone else playing TV's most saintly lesbian, fellow suds fans? Me neither.

Hey suds fans! I have something fun to share:

While I was on red-carpet duty at the 34th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, my pal Jamie snapped digital-camera pix of me interviewing celebs. Here I am striking a sassy pose with Y&R diva Judith Chapman. Click here to see more photos!

Those sudsy schemers on NBC's Passions often mention the character of Pretty Crane, who has never been seen on the soap. Well, here's a headshot of Melinda Sward, the actress who has been cast as Pretty. She arrives in Harmony on Monday, July 30.

As Passions viewers are frequently reminded, Pretty's selfish sister Fancy Crane (Emily Harper) did something awful to her in the past. We don't yet know what.

It's nothing personal against Emily Harper, but I've hated the Fancy character since day one. I don't mean "love to hate." I just hate her. She's so annoying.

Fancy and Noah were daytime's most boring couple until Passions split them up. Now Fancy, who is Sheridan's niece, is paired with Luis. Gross! This "Shuis" fan doesn't buy for a second that Luis is suddenly in love with Fancy anymore than I bought her overnight conversion from spoiled heiress to policewoman. Puh-leeze.

So let's hope Pretty makes Fancy as miserable as possible. LOL! Here endeth my rant.

Other items of interest to all you Passion-istas out there:

• That's the 4'0" Danny Woodburn playing Demon Elf. Love him!

• Sitcom veteran Georgia Engel debuts as Esmerelda, the good witch, this Thursday, June 28. She takes part in the soap's spoof of Broadway's Wicked. More to come on that....

• The fabulously nutty Kathleen Noone and Marianne Muellerleile return as Mrs. Edna Wallace and Norma the psycho on Thursday, July 19. I can't wait!

UPDATE: There's quite a debate going on between the "Shuis" and "Lancy" fans in the comments area below. I have lots to say, so come join us!

Former Y&R star Shemar Moore — who was arrested June 1 on suspicion of DUI — is officially in trouble.

TMZ.com tattles that L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has charged Moore with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence. If he's convicted, the Criminal Minds castmember faces up to six months in jail and a $1000 fine. Moore's next court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26.

UPDATE: Whoa! Moore's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, is fast. He just entered a no-contest plea to the charge of Exhibition of Speed, per TMZ. The two DUI charges against Moore have been dismissed.

Since he copped a plea, Moore ends up better off than jailbird Paris Hilton. He was sentenced to probation, community service and fined about $1400.

FYI, Judge Michael T. Sauer — the same badass judge who has presided over Paris' case — was the one who decided Moore's fate.

As we head into another weekend, suds fans, I want to remind you not to be like Shemar, Paris, Nicole, Lindsay, Lane Garrison, et. al. If you're out boozin', don't go cruisin' without a designated driver!

Good news!

Tyler Christopher has chosen to stay in the daytime suds, particularly since ABC did not pick up his pilot Secrets of a Small Town for the network's primetime schedule.

"Tyler has inked a new deal with General Hospital to continue playing the role of Nikolas Cassadine for three more years," confirms the hottie's June newsletter to fans. "Tyler thanks every single fan for their continued support."

Meanwhile, Ingo Rademacher (Jax) departs from the GH canvas in the Monday, June 25 episode. But don't worry, Ingo's just off enjoying summer vacation at his second home in Hawaii. Jax will be back.