The Young and the Restless spoilers from a recent interview with an exiting Y&R writer tell us that Sally Sussman spilled some tea on a few major plot reveals. Sally blabbed what’s really wrong with Dina Mergeron (Marla Adams), why Y&R is bringing Kevin Fisher back just a few weeks after Greg Rikaart’s contract wasn’t renewed, and the reaction to the CBS soap’s new lady love affair. Since Sussman retired, perhaps she felt it was okay to share spoilers in her interview with Daytime Confidential or perhaps she didn’t realize she was giving away info that has yet to air.
Kevin comes back for Mariah
Y&R fans saw Kevin leave Genoa City just a few weeks ago after Greg Rikaart’s contract as Kevin was not renewed. Fortunately for Y&R fans, Rikaart was spotted back on the Young and the Restless set last week alongside Christian LeBlanc, who plays his soap brother Michael Baldwin. Sally Sussman revealed in her interview with Daytime Confidential that Kevin comes back to Genoa City to act as a “sounding board” for Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) as she deals with her blossoming same sex relationship with Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) and deals with her confusion and uncertainty.
Reunited and it feels so good! #YR #backonset pic.twitter.com/8yI5t8mATz
— Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) August 3, 2017
It is interesting that Kevin is back to help Mariah while she deals with her feelings for another woman when she and Kevin were once boyfriend and girlfriend. Y&R fans also may wonder if Kevin and Mariah’s one disastrous night of awkward sex might come up in any conversations they have about her feelings for Tessa versus Devon Hamilton (Bryton James). Sussman also said her take on the “Teriah” romance clarifying that “it’s a love story” rather than a “gay story.”
Sussman Confirms Rikaart Asked Y&R To Write Kevin As Gay
Another looming question behind Greg Rikaart’s exit from Y&R was whether he left because he wanted the show to adjust Kevin’s storyline so he was gay and the network refused. Rikaart mentioned on the red carpet that he wanted Kevin to be gay, but now Sally Sussman confirmed some of this possible controversy.
Sally said, “I was told that Greg had pitched a story for Kevin coming out some months before. Unfortunately, I never got to read it” and added, “I have no doubt Greg would have done a fabulous job in such a story.”
Y&R head writer Sally Sussman’s fascinating film Midnight Return now available #YR https://t.co/lcCbDysunJ #WeekInSoaps pic.twitter.com/qtw9YzRW9J
— Soap Central (@soapcentral) May 20, 2017
The ex- Y&R writer also confirmed that CBS told her they were getting a lot of negative comments on the emerging Mariah and Tessa love story and said she was “taken aback by the negativity” from fans.
Sussman also said that CBS Daytime “enthusiastically approved this [Mariah and Tessa] story” but said the network also knows that Young and the Restless has a “very conservative audience” and knew going into it that the story may “offend some people.”
Judging by Y&R fan reaction on social media, fan reaction is mixed, and the issue seems to be deeply polarizing. A downward shift in ratings might impact the fate of Mariah and Tessa’s romance beyond what scenes have already filmed, and Sussman admitted that now that she’s gone she has “no idea” what will happen with the same-sex Y&R romance she initiated.
Yesterday on #YR , Ashley has a tense reunion with Dina. WATCH THE CLIP: https://t.co/VTq3eANs7h pic.twitter.com/BHmp2dDkVd
— Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) May 16, 2017
Dina has Alzheimer’s!
Other The Young and the Restless spoilers from Sally Sussman’s DC interview reveal that Dina’s medical issue is Alzheimer’s. This has been one of the many theories fans have guessed on social media including dementia or something else that impacts her memories.
Sussman said in her interview, “I wanted the show and the genre to be more topical – to do issues that were really affecting people’s lives. Example: Dina Abbott’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.”
This was a juicy Y&R spoiler since nothing has been confirmed yet and all viewers know from watching recent episodes is that Dina’s memory is spotty. Graham Bloodworth (Max Shippee) knows what is wrong with his wealthy lady patron, but hasn’t shared it with anyone else. Two of Dina’s kids, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson), know their mother is out of sorts, but they haven’t cracked the case yet. This is a big reveal that Sally spilled in the interview and offered viewers a new perspective on upcoming scenes.
Jack makes Dina a job offer. Good idea? #YR pic.twitter.com/LYHnKi1vcB
— Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) August 9, 2017
To find out more, you can read Sally Sussman’s entire interview with Daytime Confidential (link above) and then get ready for more on these hot storylines with these Young and the Restless spoilers for the week of August 14. Keep an eye out on Y&R for more on Victoria’s problematic medical condition and Abby Newman’s (Melissa Ordway) unknowingly funding the Genoa City sex trafficking ring by investing in Zack’s app. There’s lots of good stuff to see – be sure to watch every day and check back for more The Young and the Restless spoilers.
[Featured Image by Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock and Omar Vega/AP Images]