Diane Might Not Have Much Time Left as ‘The Young and the Restless’ Faces Possible Budget Cuts
When it comes to The Young and the Restless characters, there aren’t many who have more staying power than Diane Jenkins. Diane debuted in 1982, being played by Alex Donnelly before being taken over by Susan Walters in 2001 and Maura West in 2010. Diane has a lengthy and sordid history in Genoa City.
In 2011, Diane was tragically murdered. But in typical soap opera fashion, that didn’t last. Diane resurfaced alive and well in March 2022, and Walters resumed the role. Diane has been wreaking havoc since she returned, keeping life in Genoa City exciting. But how long can it last? With Y&R facing budget cuts, Diane’s character might once again be on the chopping block.
The return of Diane Jenkins (and the resulting drama)
When Nikki killed Diane in self-defense in 2011, most fans didn’t believe she’d ever come back. While bringing characters back from the dead is fairly common in the soap world, this murder produced a body that was fished out of the water.
Shockingly, Diane reappeared in March 2022 after anonymously texting Jack and approaching Allie about buying a house that had belonged to her late father, according to Soaps in Depth. She explained that she was so hated by so many she felt that faking her death was the only solution. Diane also did her best to convince everyone in town, including her son, that she had changed and was a better person.
But most people were skeptical at best, with Diane’s old enemies being especially critical of her alleged transformation. And it didn’t take long before the old drama was stirred up again — in fact, Diane’s feud with Phyllis and her trouble with Nikki is keeping viewers riveted right now.
As entertaining as Diane and all her antics are, the fact remains that her character hasn’t historically been well-liked. With her enemies scheming to get rid of her once and for all, Diane’s days may be numbered … again.
Budget cuts and casting rumors
In early November, Paramount Global (the parenting company of CBS) shared its third-quarter earnings. Deadline reports the company is looking to make “sizeable” cuts to make up for losses suffered, and since daytime soap operas have lower viewership than primetime, it’s likely budget cuts are coming to Y&R.
Budget cuts are fairly common in daytime television. And since the easiest way to slash a budget is to release an actor from a contract, rumors begin to swirl as soon as they’re announced, according to Fame 10. The recent news about Y&R is no exception, and CBS insiders have been fueling rumors about who might be leaving the show, according to Soap Dirt.
Should Diane go?
Fans are torn about whether or not Diane should leave Genoa City once again. On the one hand, this would be a good time to have her “killed off” (permanently or not). Diane has plenty of enemies, few friends, and a jilted ex-lover with a vendetta against her who has just come back into her life.
Rumor has it that Diane’s character might also be placed on recurring status, meaning she’d only be around once in a while. Perhaps her ex could get those money laundering charges to stick, and she could be sent to prison for a while.
Then again, many fans are excited to see Diane back in Genoa City, knowing that things will never be dull with her around. Perhaps it’s time to let her stay.
