Table of contents for #297 Special in Soap World

Y&R VETERAN AXED After 14 years playing the iconic, popular and sometimes-disturbed Kevin Fisher on The Young and the Restless, GREG RIKAART has been fired from the show. He is filming his last scenes this month and his exit is expected to air in August. Reasons for Rikaart’s dismissal are unknown. “Fourteen years ago, I booked a two-week long gig on The Young and the Restless,” he said in an Instagram post. “In my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined what it would turn into: a career-defining experience that has brought me so much happiness and fulfillment. At the moment it is unclear what lies ahead for Kevin and I, as we will be saying goodbye to Genoa City for a while. I am sad to leave a place…

Kat thinks Ash has become obsessed with Luc, and she just cannot understand that connection to the child. It was clear from the very beginning that Kat had mixed feelings about becoming a mother figure to baby Luc. Clear to everyone, except Ash. Ever since the day he went for custody of the baby, what should have brought Kat (Pia Miller) and Ash (George Mason) even closer together has created a deep division between them. And in upcoming episodes of Home and Away, in the wake of Luc’s recent health crisis, what becomes painfully clear is just how very different is what these two people want out of life, and the strain that is now placing on them. For Ash, as the baby’s uncle, he now considers the top…

Like classic star-crossed lovers, Elias and Madi are torn between their warring families and their feelings for each other. And just when Elias has the courage to try again it seems Madi has other plans. The pair fell for each other amidst the chaos of Madi’s (Georgia Flood) mother Olivia (Helen Dallimore) and Elias’s (Tyler De Nawi) father Fou Fou (Michael Denkha) battling each other for neighbourhood supremacy. They then started carrying on their romance in secret. Layla (Kat Hoyos) was the only other person in the know despite Madi’s attempts to get Elias to reveal the truth to his family. Elias feared his father’s wrath because not only is Madi someone Fou Fou would never approve of, she’s also his enemy’s daughter. Madi wanted to bring their relationship into…

Waruu attacks Koen and slashes his throat. Waruu then taints his wound with a lump of red sap. Koen is determined to embrace his powers as the Cleverman so that he can protect the Hairy people but to do so he must fight not only the Government but his vengeful brother Waruu. In the aftermath of the violent confrontation between the Containment Authority and the residents of the Zone, the survivors were rounded up into vans. A mysterious Hairy, named Jarli (Clarence Ryan), however has stopped them in their tracks allowing many to escape. Most of them have headed to an abandoned warehouse and when Koen (Hunter Page-Lochard) tracks them down and sees their fear and anger he springs into action to help them. Back in the City, new Minister…

Everywhere Quinn turns and whatever move she makes, her new nemesis Katie is there staring at her accusingly and just loving the new-found power she has over her now that she’s blackmailing Quinn and Ridge with the secret of their affair. Quinn’s (Rena Sofer) only healthy release from her misery is the confidence she shares with Ivy (Ashleigh Brewer) who’s returned from Australia to the news that Katie (Heather Tom) has stumbled onto Quinn’s assignations with Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) and is holding it over their heads for her own personal gain. Confirming that Katie now works alongside them at Forrester Creations due to her game-playing, Quinn quietly declares that she’s fed up of living with Katie making demands and twisting the knife into her back as she holds her marriage…

Thirty-two years ago, a bedraggled alcoholic named Brent Davis told cosmetics heiress Ashley Abbott that he, not John Abbott, was her biological father. The horrifying revelation not only undermined the special relationship that Ashley and John shared but Ashley’s resulting confrontation with her defensive and emotionally cold mother Dina irrevocably shattered any hopes of a mother-daughter bond developing. The pain of Dina’s abandonment of her young children years earlier was still raw for Ashley and her brother Jack, even as adults, and this latest bombshell just reinforced that they never had a mother. Since that fateful moment, Ashley (Eileen Davidson) has vehemently hated Dina (Marla Adams) and can’t even bear to hear her mother’s name mentioned. That’s why the news that Dina’s international conglomerate, Mergeron Enterprises, is up for sale…

Hilary declares Mariah a "rebound romance". "I know what Devon likes, and honey, it ain't you!'' Divorce is supposed to the official confirmation of the end of all romantic feelings that exist between permanently estranged spouses but on the day that Devon and Hilary Hamilton’s marriage is legally severed, residual passion threatens to overwhelm the saddened pair. Unable to ignore Devon’s (Bryton James) accidental physical contact with her outside the courthouse, Hilary (Mishael Morgan) can’t remove her wedding ring. Instead, she seeks support from her TV audience, taking to the airwaves on GC Buzz for an announcement about her divorce, how she’s to blame for the marital failure and how she intends to learn and grow from her mistakes before taking off her ring live to…

Is that you, Al? He made us laugh as Tim’s Tool Time pal Al Borland for 202 episodes of the sitcom hit Home Improvement but now RICHARD KARN will be banging his gavel instead of a hammer. He’ll be B&B’s Judge Jon Oplinger, deciding on a thieving Sally’s fate. However, Karn assures us that Oplinger won’t be too tough on the Spectra redhead. “He’s by-the-book … not nefarious,” previews Karn. Any job will do Fledgling actor, writer and producer KEVIN SCOTT WILLIAMS plays the manager of Il Giardino restaurant who considers whether to take pity on a recalcitrant Coco when she desperately applies for a job in the wake of her family’s espionage exploits. Hot dog That burly, self-described connoisseur of hotdogs, America’s favourite food, is back on the job.…

Caroline O’Connor has discovered what it’s like to have New York at her feet, as one of the lead stars of the new Broadway musical hit, Anastasia. The Aussie stage diva, who has become legendary with her star turns in such shows as Chicago, West Side Story and Anything Goes and on screen in Moulin Rouge, is now winning new fans in New York for her role of Countess Lily in Anastasia. As the lady-in-waiting to the Russian Dowager Empress, Caroline stops the show with her high-kicking effervescence in such numbers as Land of Yesterday. “I’m having the time of my life in this show and the audiences are loving it,” she says in her dressing room, while getting ready for a matinee performance. “This is my third show on…

HOMAGE TO THE PAST “Good afternoon. Shortland Street Accident and Emergency Centre,” were the first words spoken on the first episode of New Zealand soap Shortland Street when it premiered 25 years ago on May 25, 1992. To celebrate the show’s silver anniversary and that iconic moment, the soap has brought back Marj Neilson Brasch, the character who uttered the inaugural line for the anniversary episodes that will air here in Australia in late June. Actress ELIZABETH MCRAE , who plays Marj, has returned alongside other beloved characters Nick and Waverley Harrison, and others, for the 90-minute special episode that is said to feature a “cataclysmic event”, according to producer MAXINE FLEMING . STREET’S STAR SIGHTINGS Possibly three new arrivals are about to descend onto the Coronation Street cobbles.…

Billie might soon come to the realisation that Mick is not coming home and it’s time to move on without him. The Proudman sisters have always struggled in the romance department and this time is no different. Nina’s happiness with Harry might not be enough to survive the many challenges threatening to come their way. And Billie’s (Kat Stewart) marriage to Mick (Eddie Perfect) continues to be a long-distance arrangement. The pressures of this situation could push their relationship to breaking point as Billie enters a new phase of her life without her muso hubby. For Nina (Asher Keddie), Harry (Alexander England) was a love that came out of the blue and more like hate at first sight. When Harry entered Nina’s life he was managing the PR crisis…

Renée Zellweger The Bridget Jones star enhanced her career by playing a character that navigates the tribulations facing the modern woman, including love, career and motherhood. Away from the cameras, Renée has so far decided not to have children. “Motherhood has never been an ambition. I don’t think like that... I just take things as they come, each day at a time, and if things happen, all well and good,” she says. Oprah Winfrey The talk show tycoon, actress and philanthropist enjoys a glittering and impressive career , but even a self-made woman operating at Oprah’s level did not escape pressure from others to have children. She maintains that her decision not to have of fspring was the right one. “I knew I was not going…

In her high school years, DINA attended school alongside future husband JOHN ABBOTT , best friend KATHERINE CHANCELLOR , and Katherine’s future husband GARY REYNOLDS as well as LAUREN and JILL’s father NEIL FENMORE and Neil’s eventual wife JOANNA MANNING . Esteemed former GC resident STUART BROOKS was another of Dina’s school friends. Married to JOHN ABBOTT 1950-63, DINA abandoned him and their children JACK , ASHLEY and TRACI and was later married to JAVIER DELGADO for 12 years before marrying French cosmetics baron MARCEL MERGERON . Widowed in 1982, Dina inherited Marcel’s fortune and reappeared in Genoa City in April 1983. Initially disguised as the mysterious MADAME MERGERON , DINA tried to take over Jabot Cosmetics without JOHN’s knowledge. In 1985, DINA accidentally shot KATHERINE (also called KAY )…

From the moment Nikki saw Tessa Porter singing outside Crimson Lights and hired her to be her grandson Reed’s music tutor she has felt a deep affinity with the mysterious young woman who reminds her of what she used to be like in her lean years, before Victor found her and transformed her life. Discovering that Tessa was scrimping to make ends meet like Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) did when she was a stripper at The Bayou nightclub, Nikki wasted no time in employing the girl to be her personal assistant, hoping to change her life too. Settling into her new position, Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) can’t hide her enthusiasm for the wealth that surrounds her nor her intrigue about Nikki’s often scandalous and volatile past. She also finds a friend…

Slow road to love Amid the personal and professional turmoil SCOTT has experienced lately, he’s found solace and friendship with SHARON, who’s grateful for the attention in the wake of DYLAN’s desertion. However, Sharon wants to take things slowly as she’s only been a separated woman for a few months and is relieved when MARIAH, wanting her mother to be happy, supports her stance. Eager to protect Sharon’s privacy, Scott hides the identity of his new girlfriend from everyone, but is soon sharing sweet kisses with her. Comfortable in the budding relationship, Scott reveals his real job, surprising Sharon with his admission that journalism is just his cover for the intelligence work he carried out in the Middle East. He talks about one particular case, leaving Sharon with the impression…

The decision to leave Warren’s son Joel Dexter to burn to death inside a garage explosion that she had triggered was always a risky one for Sienna Blake. She desperately craved revenge on Warren for his inability to save her daughter Nico’s life in last year’s Halloween fire and thought robbing Warren of his child would be justice enough. But on the other hand, as Warren was her lover, she knew she’d be damning their relationship to hell. Sure enough, Warren (Jamie Lomas) has ostracised Sienna (Anna Passey) since the explosion incident, preferring to focus on Joel (Rory Douglas-Speed) who survived the inferno. For his part, Joel is relieved that Warren has banished Sienna so that’s why he’s especially worried to witness Sienna being abducted and driven away in a…

Sally urges Thomas to run away from her as fast as he can, but to her shock, Thomas pulls her into an embrace. Chaos reigns in the executive suites at Forrester Creations as Sally Spectra is slapped into handcuffs and arrested for stealing the company’s design collection to pass off as the property of Spectra Fashions. Everyone is so stunned by the turn of events that they fail to see the massive family feud that’s brewing on the sidelines, not only between Forrester and Spectra but also within Forrester’s own ranks. Alone with Sally (Courtney Hope), a brokenhearted Thomas (Pierson Fode) can’t hide his humiliation as he begs her to explain why she betrayed him, his family and their own relationship. He’s heartened as she sincerely pleads with him to…

Matron knows the walls are closing in on her and it’s only a matter of time. Matron’s epic mistake in the labour ward returns to haunt her when Joan is given reason to believe her baby was swapped. Though Matron has known for quite some time that she put the name tag on the wrong newborn she has vowed never to reveal the truth. It is a secret that has tormented Matron (Mandy McElhinney) for some time now. But never was she more rattled than when Laura, the baby that Joan (Jessica Marais) thought was hers, died suddenly. Joan was completely and utterly devastated. Even though Matron watched the heartbreaking situation unfold she said nothing and instead tried to destroy the evidence. But Joan has seen the autopsy report conducted…

Paul and Terese are cut from the same cloth. They are both exceptional business owners and thrive on success. In times of crisis we turn to our loved ones for support but Terese is struggling to find someone strong enough to help when she fears she has cancer. And her health scare might just push her back into the arms of Paul and not her fiancé Gary. After Terese (Rebekah Elmaloglou) discovers a lump she then must play a waiting game. Karl (Alan Fletcher) has ordered tests but the results take some time to come back, leaving Terese in a dreadfully anxious state. When she tells Gary (Damien Richardson) what’s going on, he crumbles in front of her, remembering a close family member who died of cancer. Piper (Mavournee Hazel)…

Suddenly, Ridge interrupts with a final plea to Brooke. He’ll wait for her at the mansion today, by the fountain. Nothing can burst Brooke and Bill’s love bubble now that they’ve resolved to get married, not even Ridge’s persistent pleas to Brooke to change her mind and marry him instead. Despite a single tear slipping down her cheek, Brooke stays committed to her fiancé as Ridge vows to fight for her, telling her, “You will always be my Logan.” Rejoining Bill (Don Diamont) and swatting away his smug desire to tell Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) that Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) actually proposed to him, Brooke urges him to focus on them instead of her ex. Bill loves nothing more, reiterating that he would wait for Brooke forever and now they’re fulfilling…

Coco says she’s not surprised that Thomas bailed out Sally and the business because he’s a man in love. Pressured by the Forrester family to trap her sister Sally into a confession of corporate theft to enable them to prosecute Sally, a devastated Coco breaks down in RJ’s arms, crying that she’s wrecked her family and condemned Sally to a life in prison. RJ is supportive, believing in Coco’s innocence and also feeling railroaded by his family into selling out his girlfriend. Unable to convince Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) not to prosecute Sally (Courtney Hope) or find an alternative punishment to prison, Coco (Courtney Grosbeck) cries as Sally is led away. After learning that her sister is being spared prosecution, Coco frets over the deal that will permanently shut down…

Throwing caution to the wind, Billy and Phyllis have reunited in a red-hot love affair, knowing that despite the complications surrounding the feelings of their exes Victoria and Jack, they can’t deny the urge to be together any longer. What the lovers don’t know is that Cane has stumbled upon their secret liaison and is mischievously planning to use it to make trouble for Billy who is making Cane’s professional life at Brash & Sassy a misery. Aware of Billy (Jason Thompson) and Phyllis’s (Gina Tognoni) ongoing inability to tell Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Jack (Peter Bergman) about their reconciliation, Cane (Daniel Goddard) takes Juliet’s (Laur Allen) advice to formulate a plan to expose Billy as a fraud. Spying a text on Billy’s phone from Phyllis summoning him to the…

Designer dude Buoyed by his bond with LIZZIE, ZENDE thinks deeply and makes big decisions about his future. Alongside his decision to have a child with a thrilled NICOLE, Zende is spurred to reveal his aspirations to design fashions for Forrester Creations. Ignored for a while by STEFFY, THOMAS and RIDGE, Zende refuses to sacrifice his dream and jokes with COCO about showing his designs to SALLY. Deep down, is Zende really joking about the possibility of working at Forrester’s opposition? Love over legality The hallowed halls of Forrester Creations are in damage control following Spectra Fashions’ theft of the company’s latest collection of designs. An almost-universal executive vote is taken to prosecute SALLY for industrial espionage despite police advice that Sally could spend 15 years in prison. The only…

Doyenne of drama After a nine-year absence from Y&R, MARLA ADAMS brings her elegant but controversial alter ego Dina Mergeron (formerly Abbott) back to town when a business deal arouses sentimental memories and encourages her to repair her fractured relationships with her children. A veteran of other soaps like The Secret Storm (ex-Belle), Capitol (ex-Myrna), Generations (ex-Helen), The Bold and the Beautiful (ex-Beth) and Days of Our Lives (ex-Claire). Star sightings Hilary’s trip to Hollywood will antagonise a whole host of people. Co-host of The Talk, JULIE CHEN , will be exasperated by Hilary’s stalker-like antics while flamboyant former Ugly Betty star ALEC MAPA plays Anthony, a hotel clerk dealing with the diva’s demands. And former Married… with Children star DAVID FAUSTINO reprises his role of Howard Green. Reality break…

WIN THE GOOD CARBS COOKBOOK Thanks to Murdoch Books , 7 lucky Soap World readers will win The Good Carbs Cookbook, valued at $39.99 each. That’s a total prize value of $279.93! The Good Carbs Cookbook helps you choose the best fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, seeds, nuts and grains and explains how to use them in 100 refreshingly nourishing recipes to enjoy every day, for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. The recipes have short ingredients lists, are easy to prepare, quick to cook, long in flavour and full of sustaining goodness, so you feel fuller for longer. There is a nutritional analysis for each recipe and there are tips and helpful hints for the novice, nervous, curious or time-starved cook. In stores now. SALMON, WHITE BEAN AND DILL…