When is Lily coming back to The Young and the Restless? Comeback timeline explored

Fans of The Young and the Restless can rejoice as Christel Khalil, the actress behind the character Lily Winters, is set to make a return to the beloved soap opera. Khalil has been on maternity leave for several months, having welcomed her baby boy with fiancé Sam Restagno.

The actress excitedly announced her return by captioning a photo she took with The Young and the Restless co-stars on her Instagram stories on February 13, 2024. With the soap opera's shooting schedule often being ahead, fans can likely anticipate that Lily's comeback will air sometime in early to mid-March.

---

Christel Khalil’s return announcement

Christel Khalil took to her Instagram stories to share the exciting news of her return. In a photo alongside Y&R co-stars Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) and Bryton James (Devon), Khalil expressed her enthusiasm, captioning the image with a simple yet impactful "Back at it!"

The reason behind Khalil's hiatus was her maternity leave, during which she welcomed her baby boy with her fiancé, Sam Restagno. The couple, who announced their engagement in April 2022, had previously shared the joyous news of their impending parenthood in June 2023.

Given the soap opera's tendency to shoot episodes well in advance, viewers can expect Lily's return to air during the early to mid-March.

---

Lily’s last appearance on The Young and the Restless

Lily Winters last graced the screens in December 2023 when her character was written off the soap. The storyline takes Lily to California to visit her daughter, Mattie, who is dealing with the aftermath of wildfires that have damaged her school. In Lily's absence, her relationship with Daniel faced unexpected challenges, adding an intriguing layer to the character's dynamics.

During Lily's absence, her on-screen partner, Daniel, rekindled things with his ex, Heather, despite Lily having previously reignited their relationship. The complications in their love life reached a peak when Daniel decided to be open and honest with Lily upon her return, revealing that he and Heather had slept together.

---

Lily Winters’ journey on The Young and the Restless

Christel Khalil took on The Young and the Restless role in 2002 when Lily was portrayed as a rebellious teenager relocating from Paris to the United States with her mother, Drucilla, after getting into trouble with graffiti.

Initially, Drucilla hoped Lily's father, Neil, would guide her, but instead, they assisted Neil with his battle with alcoholism. Despite initially disliking her parents' reunion plans, Lily eventually accepted their relationship and befriended Colleen Carlton.

Despite parental disapproval, she later started dating Daniel Romalotti, and they married in 2006. The revelation of Lily's true father being Malcolm strained her relationship with Drucilla, but they reconciled before Drucilla's presumed death.

Lily's marriage to Daniel was troubled by his pornography addiction, leading to divorce. She then began a relationship with Cane Ashby, leading to their marriage in 2009. Their relationship faced numerous challenges, including Cane's false death, Lily's cancer diagnosis, and Cane's infidelity to Juliet Helton.

Despite their reconciliations and divorces, including one after Lily's prison sentence for causing a fatal accident, Lily eventually moved to Wisconsin for a fresh start after her father's passing. However, she returned to Genoa City in March 2020 to oversee Chancellor Communications alongside Billy Abbott.

---

Viewers can watch The Young and the Restless on Paramount+ and CBS.