Who Is Leaving ‘The Young and the Restless’ in 2022?
2022 was a big year for The Young and the Restless cast. There were the returns of Susan Walters and Michael Graziadei and the addition of Trevor St. John. But with every arrival came a departure. Here’s a look at the actors who left the show.
‘The Young and the Restless’ star Mishael Morgan left the show again
Mishael Morgan has been a significant talent to The Young and the Restless for the past nine years. Morgan gained fame with her portrayal of Hilary Curtis, whom she played from 2013 to 2018. After Morgan and the show failed to negotiate a new contract, she left, and the writers killed off Hilary.
A year after her departure, Morgan returned as Hilary’s long-lost twin sister Amanda Sinclair. Morgan’s role as Amanda earned her a 2022 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress. But shortly after her historic win, Morgan was bumped to recurring status.
After months of rumors, the actor confirmed rumors she was leaving in Sept. 2022. In an interview with Soap Opera Digest podcast, Morgan cited her family as one of the reasons she decided to leave. The actor and her husband wanted to move back home to be closer to their family.
The writers gave Amanda a dramatic and soap exit. Amanda returned to Genoa City to discover her boyfriend, Devon Hamilton (Bryton James), making love to Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway.) An emotional Amanda broke up with Devon in the aftermath and moved to Virginia to be with her mother.
Richard Burgi was fired because of COVID-19 guidelines
Richard Burgi is no stranger to soap operas. His previous credits include the daytime shows Another World and General Hospital. But he’s most famous as Karl Mayer on the primetime series Desperate Housewives.
In Mar. 2021, Burgi joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Ashland Locke. The actor’s performance as the ruthless businessman and Victoria Newman’s (Amelia Heinle) new love interest made him a fan favorite. Less than a year after joining the show, Burgi was later fired. The actor later went on Instagram and explained his firing was because he “inadvertently violated” the show’s COVID-19 guidelines.
‘The Young ad the Restless’ recast Robert Newman left after six months
Burgi’s character Ashland was in a massive storyline when the actor was abruptly fired. The Young and the Restless needed a recast and found their new Ashland with former Guiding Light star Robert Newman. After a 13-year absence, Newman returned to the soap opera world in Feb. 2022.
His performance as Ashland was met with rave reviews, and Newman showed he could play a sinister villain. Yet, as Ashland’s war with the Newmans was heating up, the writers killed off the character in Jul. 2022. Ashland’s death sparked outrage, and many hoped he’d still be alive. However, sadly, that was the last they’d see of the character and his portrayer.
Jordi Vilasuso’s character Rey Rosales was killed in a car crash
In 2018, Jordi Vilasuso joined The Young and the Restless cast as Rey Rosales. Rey was an all-around good guy who became Genoa City’s newest detective. He also captured the heart of beloved heroine Sharon Newman (Sharon Case).
Although Rey received mixed reactions, he became a prominent part of the show. He was headed for a juicy storyline with a possible romance with Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Clare Egan). Unfortunately, any plans for the couple were scrapped.
Vilasuso’s exit was announced in Mar. 2022, and the actor later revealed he sensed his firing was coming. A month later, the writers killed Rey by having him die in a car accident. Although Rey was Genoa City’s hero, the show failed to give the character and his portrayer a proper sendoff.
