The young and the restless celebrates a milestone with its renewal. The show first aired in 1973 and has since given its viewers drama, intrigue, romance and betrayal. Actress Melody Thomas Scott, who played Nikki Newman for decades, said she didn’t expect the show to last 50 years. Learn more.
Melody Thomas Scott Didn’t Expect ‘Y&R’ To Last 50 Years
Scott began her acting career as a child star in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie and followed it with concerts in night shows like Charlie’s Angels, The Rockford Files, and The Waltons.
Scott left his recurring role on The Waltons in 1979 at age 23 and took a small part in the daytime soap opera The young and the restless. Scott took over from the previous cast member who had played Nikki for just six months.
Over time, Nikki became an integral part of the story, and Scott’s presence on the show grew. However, the star didn’t expect the show to last this long.
In an interview with Michael Fairman, Scott said that when she started playing Nikki, she was “too green” to predict how long a show might last. The actress said she expected to be on the show for a total of three years.
“I don’t think any of us really stopped and thought, ‘Well, can we get to 50? ‘” Scott said. The star called the show’s ability to last 50 years a “blessing”, saying it’s not often actors hold jobs for that long. In 2019, the show honored Scott with a standalone episode to mark his 40-year history on the show.
Michelle Stafford and Eileen Davidson share a similar sentiment
In the joint interview, Michelle Stafford, who plays Phyllis Summers, and Eileen Davidson, who plays Ashley Abbott, echoed Scott’s sentiments by saying they also didn’t expect them to be with the series for so long. Stafford said her role was meant to be minor, explaining that she was originally hired for six weeks.
Davidson, on the other hand, had some hope for the show’s longevity, given other soap operas like days of our lives had already had a long run. However, like her castmates, she didn’t expect to still be with the series for its 50th anniversary.
“Y&R” celebrated its 50th anniversary with an epic crossover
Y&R and its sister show, Love glory and beauty, have been connected since their creation. Several characters have appeared in both shows over the years, facilitating the connection between the two shows that fans love.
In January 2020, the show was renewed for another four years, and next year the show will officially reach its 50th year of airing. When the new season started, the show knew the best way to celebrate this milestone would be to have a crossover between Guest rooms and Y&R.
Since the start of 2022, Nikki Newman has had a lot to fear after her lifelong rival Diane Jenkins seemingly came back from the dead. Nikki teamed up with Phyllis Summers, who also harbors a deep hatred for Diane. The pair tried to post a scathing article about the former vixen, and when that didn’t work, Nikki set out to find out Diane’s secrets from someone who knew her well, Deacon.
Fans may recall that Deacon was the one who delivered the killing blow that led everyone to believe Diane was dead. Nikki flew to Los Angeles to have a face-to-face interaction with Deacon to get him to tell her the truth about Diane, hoping to use the information to bring down the former vixen once and for all. The crossover episode aired on September 20, 2022, kicking Y&R50th season in full gear.
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