A few weeks ago, Young and the Restless soap opera fans learned the shocking news that iconic character Victor Newman (played by Eric Braeden) was being written off of the show after Braeden refused to take a contract pay cut to keep his job … then we heard from Braden himself railing against his studio bosses for the way they treated him … then over the weekend we learned the not so shocking news that a compromise has been worked out and Victor Newman WON’T be written off the show … and today we hear from Eric Braeden again in a new interview where he discusses the deal he worked out to stay on the show:

He’s back. Just a little more than two weeks ago, Eric Braeden announced that he would be exiting his role as Victor Newman on “The Young and the Restless,” following a salary dispute with Sony, the production company that owns the daytime drama.

ET: The other show owned by Sony let two of its top cast members go, and didn’t suffer in the ratings.
Eric Braeden: It is very difficult to ascertain to what degree one is important to the fabric of the whole thing. You don’t know until afterwards. That is the enormous gamble that you take. It is impossible to foretell.

As an avid fan of the show (which my mother got me hooked on in the mid-80’s) I’ve been paying particular attention to all this, ahem, drama and since Y&R has been the #1 daytime drama for over a decade now, I know there are many fans of the show out there as well. It sounds to me like Braeden decided to bite the bullet, take the pay cut and keep his job. Methinks this sends a clear message to the rest of the Y&R cast that if the most central character on the show can be threatened with exile off the show than any character can as well. For now … all’s right in Genoa City, WI (where Y&R takes place) … let the rein of Victor Newman carry on!

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Late last month we learned the SHOCKING news that The Young and the Restless veteran actor Eric Braeden (who plays the venerable Victor Newman on the long-running, #1 daytime drama on US TV) was being written out of the show due to a contract spat with the studio. Earlier this month, Braeden talked about how his mistreatment by the studio made him feel and sounded like there was no hope for his return to the show … but that was then, this is now. A new report out this weekend claims that Braeden and studio heads have agreed on a deal to keep him on the show! It looks like Victor Newman will remain on Y&R after all:

There’s peace in Genoa City: Eric Braeden, the longtime star of CBS’ top-rated “The Young and the Restless,” has agreed to return to the show. Braeden opted to leave a few weeks ago after producer Sony Pictures Television asked all cast and crew to take major pay cuts. In the actor’s case, that mean a reduction from around $1.5 million per year to around $1 million. But now a person familiar with the matter says Braeden has accepted Sony’s pay cut and will return to the series. The timing of his return is still being worked out. Braeden’s last episode was to have been Nov. 2. News of his return comes days after TheWrap reported that Sony had been considering hiring a well-known actor to fill the gap left by Braeden’s departure.

UPDATE 7:40 PM CDT: A spokesman for Braeden confirmed to TheWrap that the actor has agreed to return to the show.

Hmmm … I’m actually surprised that Eric Braeden decided to take the pay cut in order to stay on the show. While I believe it’s the smart thing to do (especially in this economy), Braeden strikes me as a stubborn and proud man (much like his character on Y&R) and my gut told me he wouldn’t budge. Work is work and a pay check is a pay check … in the end the studio is happy they got their way, Braeden should be happy that he still has a job and fans of the show will deffo be happy that Victor Newman will remain on the show. It sounds like a win-win-win situation all the way around.

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Late yesterday we learned the surprising news that both Ashlee Simpson (who plays Violet) and Colin Egglesfield (who plays Auggie) were fired from The CW’s new version of Melrose Place and at the time producers for the show, Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer, told Entertainment Weekly that it had been the plan “all along” to have these characters leave the show early once their storylines wrapped up in December. In a new interview with E!, Egglesfield reveals that that notion is NOT true, that he was not aware “all along” that his character would be written out of the show and, in fact, that when he signed on to the show it was with a multi-year contract as a core main character. Egglesfield has some idea why he was let go, tho … read on:

One day you’re happy as a clam, working as a castmember on a prime-time network drama, and the next day someone’s feeding you a line about changes in your show’s “tone” and shuffling you off to Buffalo. That’s what just happened to departing Melrose Place star Colin Egglesfield, who sums up his rollercoaster Thursday this way: “I’ve had better days, to be quite honest.” We just spoke to Colin exclusively to find out why he’s being pushed out of the show, not to mention where Auggie fits into the show’s big murder mystery, and despite what you may have theorized, Auggie’s not getting killed off, and despite what you may have been told, this exit was not planned from the beginning: “[They said it] was a network decision and obviously the ratings aren’t what they need or want them to be, so they’re going to try things to shake things up.” So what really happened today, and what’s going to happen next on Melrose Place? Here’s what we learned from Colin:

Do you have anything you want to say as a farewell to the fans and the people you’ve worked with?
Todd and Darren are great, I love those guys and they’ve always been straightforward and straight shooters and just great people to work with. I respect the decision that they had to make creatively to do what they need to do, I’m just frustrated that I’m not going to be a part of the show, because it was such a great job and a fun place to go to work every day. I’m disappointed to be leaving because I became really good friends with not only the cast of Melrose Place but many of the crew as well, so that’s sad, to not be able to go see them at work. But hey, I’m still friends with them, and I’d just like to say to everyone out there who’s been watching and supporting, thanks from the bottom of my heart, because this is something that I love to do.

OUCH!! Poor guy … it really sounds like this news came out of nowhere. I absolutely did not believe the bull the producers gave us that the plan all along had been to write these characters out of show from the beginning. As we hear from Colin himself, he just found out yesterday morning … AND, he still has another ep to film on Monday — poor, poor guy. As for Ashlee Simpson, she’s talking about her axing from the show as well. After the jump, check out what she has to say …

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Wow … here is some surprising casting news coming out of Melrose Place … with all the great news about which folks will be joining the cast, I don’t know that many of us (me included) considered who might be leaving the cast. Entertainment Weekly is reporting today that both Ashlee Simpson and Colin Egglesfield have been axed from the show! Their characters will be making their Melrose exit in January after the Who Killed Syndey Andrews? storyline wraps up in December. Um … wow!

Two months into its run, The CW’s ratings-challenged (but creatively-smokin’) Melrose Place reboot is about to undergo a major renovation. For starters, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield have been let go (they’ll last air in January), and the “Who Killed Sydney?” mystery is being wrapped up in December. Then, in addition to Heather Locklear’s Amanda, several new characters will be introduced and the show will take on a lighter, more fun vibe. Here, in an exclusive interview, exec producers Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer explain why they’re fixing a series that many (myself included) felt wasn’t broken and tease what’s ahead for Melrose 2.0 3.0.

Is it fair to say that if either of those characters clicked you would’ve found a way to keep them?
SLAVKIN: Well, you never know when you go along. But in the end, we felt like it was right [decision].
DARREN SWIMMER: The nature of soaps is that as things progress along, the story takes on a life of its own and the characters come and go in relation to that.

After the jump, find out how Ashlee and Colin took the news of their axing and read what Slavkin and Swimmer have to say about the possibility of other castmembers getting the axe from the show …

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A few weeks ago we started hearing the rumors that Miley Cyrus would be appearing in the new sequel film Sex and the City 2, which is currently filming in NYC, NY and then we began hearing reports of what her appearance in the film would be like. Instead of a featured role, Miley would appear in a cameo appearance only (thank Gods). It turns out that those reports are true, here are the first photos of Miley on the set of SaTC2 filming her cameo appearance yesterday in NYC and the deets as reported of her cameo:

Although Miley Cyrus was only, um, 5 when Sex and the City debuted on HBO back in 1998, the teen is apparently a big fan and has landed herself a guest-starring role in the upcoming movie sequel. The 16-year-old Disney darling, who recently wrapped on the film The Last Song, is now confirmed to appear in the sure-to-be-a-hit flick. Don’t look for Miley to take on a big role a la Jennifer Hudson’s personal assistant character in the first movie. She’ll instead be making a cameo as herself and will have a big showdown with Kim Cattrall’s Samantha when they show up wearing the same dress to an event (horror!), says a report. In the script, Mario Cantone’s character, Anthony, reportedly says: “Mother of God. She is wearing the same dress as Hannah Montana.” Miley — who’s not expected to utter any lines in the film — is expected to shoot her scene on Oct. 16.

Blech. I, personally, think this is horrid idea but at least it’s only a cameo appearance … it could’ve been MUCH worse. As I recall, Miley famously started blabbing to media outlets that she was a big fan of Sex and the City when it aired on TV … which would mean she was a pre-pubescent girl who’s parents let her watch an adult television series that talked in a very frank manner about all manners of sexual escapades … none of which should be at all surprising considering the way the Cyrus family have raised their little meal ticket. But I digress … it would appear that Miley’s blabbing inspired the filmmakers to put her in the film … the little minx is pretty smart, don’t you think? After the jump, check out a few more photos from the set of SaTC2 yesterday and see which other castmembers were spotted on the fictional red carpet of this fictional movie premiere featured in the film …

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Melrose Place has managed to secure another original castmember to reprise their role and return to the show. Recently, Heather Locklear made big news when it was announced that she would be returning to MP as Amanda Woodward (yesterday we saw new photos of Locklear on set) and today we learn that Daphne Zuniga will be returning to MP as photographer Jo Reynolds. Here is our first look at Zuniga as Reynolds in her first ep of the new series:

DAPHNE ZUNIGA RETURNS AS JO REYNOLDS AND JENNA DEWAN (“STEP UP”) GUEST STARS — Ella (Katie Cassidy) and Riley (Jessica Lucas) arrive at the Anton V photo shoot and meet the photographer ─ former Melrose Place resident, Jo Reynolds (Daphne Zuniga). Jo feels that Riley’s inexperience is preventing Jo from getting her shot, so Jo pushes Riley’s buttons and insists on a topless shoot to help Riley get in touch with her emotions. Meanwhile, Jonah (Michael Rady) meets with a producer’s development exec, Kendra (guest star Jenna Dewan, “Step Up”), who invites him to have drinks later that night to discuss his film. Violet (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz) makes another play for Auggie’s (Colin Egglesfield) attention, and Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen) finds out about David’s (Shaun Sipos) secret. Patrick Norris directed the episode written by Jonathan Caren (#106).

Yay!! Bring on more Melrose Place alums, please!! I love seeing the old crew back in the scene with the new kids in our beloved apartment complex. I seriously cannot get enough of this show … it’s so trashy, so fun. After the jump, check out a few more promo photos of Daphne’s return to Melrose Place …

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US Weekly magazine is reporting today that sources close to the new A&E reality TV series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty reveal that the series WILL feature the late Michael Jackson’s children — Prince Michael, Paris Michael and Prince Michael, II aka Blanket — on the TV show. It seems quite clear that this decision to put the children on television is in direct opposition to the wishes of MJ himself … it was widely known that he was fiercely protective of his children and would NEVER have wanted them exploited on TV. But, according to this new report, the kids will be featured on the Jackson family reality series nonetheless:

The Jacksons are at odds over the inclusion of Michael Jackson’s three children in an upcoming A&E reality show about the famous family, Us Weekly reports in its latest issue (on newsstands now). A source tells Us Weekly the buzzed-about program will include Michael’s kids — Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7 — though not everyone’s happy about it. Eldest sister Rebbie, 59, who has refused to be in the series (called The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, tentatively set to air in December), “feels Michael would spin in his grave if he knew his kids would be on this show.” While Janet, 43, is on board, mom Katherine “is just going along with things,” the source continues. Still, one of the creators of the program — which will be either five one-hour episodes or 10 half-hour episodes — says the family shines on the series. “We have 23 cast members with the last name Jackson,” executive producer Jodi Gomes tells Us Weekly. “They’ve done a great job opening up about losing a brother.” (A Jackson family rep couldn’t be reached.)

The only part of this story that makes me believe it is not true is the bit about Janet Jackson being “on board” with featuring the children on the TV show. I refuse to believe that she would agree with the decision to exploit the children in this way. But, truth be told, I can absolutely believe that the rest of the family (Rebbie Jackson excluded) are more than happy to exploit the children in this way … if those kids are on the show, the ratings will be much higher — guaranteed. I, personally, am seriously disgusted by more decisions made by the Jackson family … but this takes the cake. If this report turns out to be true and they do decide to use these children to promote their reality TV series then I suggest they change the titled of the show from The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty to The Jacksons: A Nasty Family. They get a HUGE poop sandwich from me!! :(

UPDATE: TMZ is reporting that Katherine Jackson, the guardian of MJ’s children, insists that the kids will NOT be featured in The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty:

Katherine tells TMZ Michael would never want his kids to appear on TV, much less on a reality show. She says her son went to great lengths to protect the kids from TV cameras, often shielding them with masks. There are reports A&E’s Jackson reality show will include MJ’s 3 kids. Katherine, who is the legal guardian of the kids and ultimately makes the decision, tells us it will NOT happen.

I really hope this is true … I would never put anything past the Jacksons. I’ll believe it when I DON’T see them on the show.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]