Soap fans really hate executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, don’t they? It doesn’t matter what show she is affiliated with, I don’t think any other big wig makes people angrier. According to the Dec. 16th print edition of GLOBE Magazine, Jill has been weaving her special cut throat style of storytelling over at The Young and the Restless in recent months and the fans are none too happy. Jill has a history of taking over the reigns of a show and firing key players so that she can introduce actors that she loves working with. In the last year Genie Francis, Michelle Stafford and Debbi Morgan have all been fired with little notice and now another veteran cast member is joining them on the slag heap.
Billy Abbot is one of Y&R’s most popular core characters and for the last 5 years – he has been played by Billy Miller who is one of the show’s biggest heartthrobs. When Miller asked for a bit more time off than usual in order to pursue prime time work, Jill said no way. He was either all in for Y&R or else he was out. Eventually Miller was shown the door and David Tom was recast as Billy Abbot. Tom portrayed the character from 1999-2002 and the turn around was so quick it caused insiders to wonder if he was preferred by Jill all along.
Needless to say, Y&R fans are up in arms because day players often request time off to film other projects. What Miller had asked for was really nothing out of the ordinary it simply provided Jill with an opportunity to fire him. I guess it would be okay if Jill’s slick moves meant that the shows ratings were better but the opposite has happened. For the first time in years, Y&R has dropped from first place in the standings and the exit of Miller isn’t going to bolster them back up. Usually Jill leaves a show worse than she found it and longtime Y&R fans are watching their show crumble. Do you think that Jill will be replaced before she makes more costly decisions? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!