Ledger Pop Journal - Celebrity News & Sports

Martha Byrne, who left "As the World Turns" after playing Lily on and off for 20 years, is still bound and determined to work in the soap opera arena. Daytime Emmy award-winner Byrne is working behind the scenes as a writer for "Bold and Beautiful." Fans who miss her on-air screen presence can catch her when she takes on a recurring character on "General Hospital."

Soaps: Martha Byrne Working Behind the Scenes at "Bold and Beautiful"

Starting next week, she will play the wife of "GH's" Mayor Floyd. According to Byrne, "Andrea will be part of a high-powered political scandal." The energetic Byrne has never been one to do a job at a time. Starring as a teen on "ATWT," she put out several hit Country Western CDs (they may have been called albums at the time; you know, those vinyl things that look like a plate and can be heard when a needle runs over them at a high speed?) Byrne is thrilled that she will be working with John Bolger, who plays the mayor. "John is like me -- know those lines and do your research."

At one point, Bolger was playing a Jewish character on a soap. At the time, he was told to recite a religious prayer. "My producer said, just mumble these lines," he said. "I know a lot of people would know I was mumbling words. I don't think that ever works. The audience gets it when you do not know what you're doing. I went to one of my Jewish friends and told him I needed to learn some Jewish blessings. He asked if I wanted to get bar mitzvahed while I was at it."

Byrne also likes the idea that "GH" is in hi-def. "It will be interesting to work in a medium I have known forever but one with a different technology."


John Driscoll, who just has his "Guiding Light" character, Coop, killed off, is headed to "Young and Restless." He is set to play Phillip Chancellor IV. Until Cane came along, he was thought to be Jill's grandson. It was revealed that the child Jill thought was her own was in fact a switched-at-birth baby. In the next week, Jill will tell Cane she is so glad he is her son, but that does not mean she did not consider Phillip III, the boy she raised as her son, no longer a part of her life. Phillip IV's father, who was married to Nina, died in a car crash while driving drunk. Jill and Kay always battled over Phillip III, a product of an affair that Jill had with Kay's then-husband, Phillip II.


Nancy St. Alban returns to "Guiding Light" in the role of Michelle Bauer later this month. Before "GL" was canceled, Michelle was going to be recast. Since St. Alban would not have to sign a long-term contract, she agreed to sign until September, when "GL" is supposed to end its 72-year run. P&G is still looking for a cable or Internet outlet so "GL" can continue.


BethAnn Bonner (ex-Talia, "One Life to Live") is headed to "Guiding Light." The actress starts the gig in June. The character will take part in the return of Cyrus, played by Murray Bartlett.


Not only has "Days of Our Lives" cut its budget by axing so many of its longtime players (Tony, Marlena, John, Patch and Kayla), it has managed to jump in the ratings. Over at CBS, "Young and Restless" is still No. 1; it had gained viewers. When ABC soaps were all the rage, a press agent for the network (who is long gone) said "the worst thing that happened to me was our soaps becoming so popular." Too bad you aren't there now; this week, "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" have slid in the ratings.