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The Young and the Restless has been known to keep making changes to its main and recurring cast members, in order to keep switching up storylines. It seems that the most recent cast change has to do with actress Melissa Ordway, who plays Abby Newman on the soap.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Young and the Restless.
Fans have been speculating about the character's status on the show, which was confirmed by the actress on the day the 13,000th episode of the soap was released. As per Soap Opera Digest's November 13 report, Melissa Ordway answered fan questions on her Instagram Stories that day, in one of which she revealed that she was no longer on contract for The Young and the Restless.
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This means that Abby Newman shall no longer be part of the soap's main characters anymore. Though Abby might return for guest appearances and cameos in the future, the audience will be seeing less of the character on screen now.
What did Melissa Ordway say about her character Abby on The Young and the Restless?
Melissa Ordway has played Abby Newman on The Young and the Restless since 2013. After over a decade of being a major part of the soap, the actress revealed that she was no longer on contract with the production. She wrote in her Instagram Story:
“Honestly, it’s been an interesting couple of months. The show decided to take me off contract so I decided to change my look up a bit for auditions. Definitely not something I wanted but I love and respect my YR family and appreciate any time they ask me back.”
Being off-contract on the soap does not mean that Abby shall not be seen on screen at all. However, the character's appearances will become much more limited, restricted to guest roles and cameos for short storylines. The actress also explained this to her fans via another Instagram Story, writing:
“I am still playing Abby I’m just not guaranteed episodes and can work on other projects. I’m still a part of the YR family and pray they continue to let Abby be a part of all the things in Genoa City. Trust me, I hope I’m still there all the time! I think they’re just focusing on other characters and storylines. But I worked today and lots of fun stuff coming up!”
What was Abby Newman's latest storyline on the soap?
Abby Newman's latest and most prominent storyline on the soap was her wedding to her longtime partner Devon Hamilton. Their wedding marked the soap's landmark 13,000th episode on air. Many former stars returned to reprise their characters for the occasion, including Abby's mother, Ashley (played by Eileen Davidson).
For upcoming episodes this week, Devon and Abby are set to return to Genoa City from their honeymoon. Even though the characters are returning, they might be featured in the storyline slightly less, paving the way for a slow exit. Currently, the spotlight is on the court case between Sharon Newman and Phyllis Summers, over the murder charges of Heather Stevens.
Audiences can stream The Young and the Restless online via CBS and Paramount+. New episodes of the soap are released on the platforms on all weekdays.
