The revolving door at CBS is spinning faster than Victor Newman’s head after a Jabot board meeting. Seriously. If you’ve tuned into The Young and the Restless lately, you know the canvas is shifting under our feet. Between maternity leaves, long-overdue returns, and a villain we all thought was buried under six feet of soap opera history, the Young and the Restless comings and goings are currently the most chaotic they’ve been in years.
Honestly, trying to keep track of who is actually in town and who is "visiting the kids" is a full-time job.
Why Lily Winters is Gone (For Now)
First things first, let's talk about Christel Khalil. If you noticed Lily Winters suddenly packing her bags for a "few weeks" to visit Charlie and Mattie, there’s a very real-world reason for that. Khalil is officially on maternity leave. She’s expecting her third child, and while the show has scripted a quick exit to keep the character off-canvas, she isn't gone for good.
It’s a bit of a bummer for the "Lane" fans, though. Just as Cane Ashby (the returning Billy Flynn) started making moves to win her back, the leading lady is out of the picture. It leaves Cane in a weird spot, potentially lashing out or—if the rumors are right—forming a very dangerous alliance with Phyllis Summers.
The Matt Clark Resurrection: A Genuine Shock
We have to talk about Roger Howarth. Usually, when a soap actor joins a new show, they play a long-lost cousin or a mysterious Dr. Nobody. But Y&R went for the jugular by bringing back Matt Clark.
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If you weren’t watching in the 90s, Matt Clark was the guy who basically ruined Sharon’s life. Seeing Howarth take on this "reign of terror" arc has been wild. Most fans thought Matt was dead. Like, dead-dead. But in Genoa City, a heartbeat is just a suggestion. Joshua Morrow (Nick) recently mentioned that the show actually reached out to the original Matt, Eddie Cibrian, before landing on Howarth.
- Who’s back: Roger Howarth as Matt Clark (or is it Mitch Bacall? The mystery deepens).
- Who’s healing: Nick Newman, who just checked himself out of the hospital to deal with Matt's chaos.
- The stake: Newman Enterprises is literally eating itself from the inside out thanks to some AI-driven sabotage.
Returns We’re Tracking: Summer and the Ashby Twins
There is a massive amount of chatter about Summer Newman. Allison Lanier’s contract ended in mid-2025, and Summer has been "living in Italy" ever since. But with Victor’s war on Jabot effectively shutting down Marchetti, Summer has no choice but to come home.
The big question is the face. There are heavy whispers about a recast since Lanier is busy with other projects. Whether they find a new "Super Girl" or convince Hunter King to make a cameo, Summer’s return is essential to the Skyle (Summer/Kyle) endgame.
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Then there are the Ashby kids. We’ve heard their voices on the phone, but word is we’re finally going to see Charlie and Mattie in the flesh. Cane needs to answer for his past, and he can't do that through a text message.
Recent Departures and the "Missing" Chance
It’s still a bit quiet on the Chance Chancellor front after Conner Floyd’s exit. We know he’s headed to Days of Our Lives to take over as Chad DiMera in April, but Y&R has left a gaping hole in the GCPD. Rumors are swirling about a transfer—specifically Detective Burrows (played by Matt Cohen)—moving over from the LAPD to fill the void.
Making Sense of the Chaos
The Young and the Restless comings and goings aren't just about scheduling; they’re about a massive creative shift. Head writer Josh Griffith is leaning hard into the "dynasty wars" and bringing back ghosts from the 90s to unsettle the vets.
If you’re trying to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on these specific moves:
- Watch the credits: When actors move from contract to recurring, it usually signals an exit.
- Follow the business: Characters like Allie (Kelsey Wang) are most likely to return when the Abbott/Newman business war peaks.
- The "Social Media" Clue: Most temporary leaves, like Khalil’s, are announced on Instagram months before they happen on screen.
Genoa City is currently a powder keg. With Nick leaning on the Abbotts for help and Victor losing his grip on his own empire, the cast list is going to keep changing. Stay tuned, because the person you think is dead or gone today will probably be ringing a doorbell in the Heights by Friday.
Check your local listings for airtimes, as the 2026 schedule has been prone to pre-emptions during this heavy news cycle.