News Brief

Last year's strike-interrupted TV season means fewer new fall shows and more returning series than ever before
The Writers Guild of America strike rewrote the traditional fall rollout scheme for broadcast networks, which this month and next debut a fresh slate short on first-timers and long on second chances.

Tonya Lee Williams Back to Y&R
In an update to the "Suds Report," Nelson Branco is reporting that Tonya Lee Williams will be returning to THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS at the end of September.

Saved by Judith Light
Judith Light is never one to shy away from controversial roles. In her breakout role on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, she played a prostitute by day and doctor’s wife by night. In the play “Wit,” she shaved her head to bring a cancer fighter’s journey to life. And in the Ryan White Story, she played the indomitable mother of the young boy fighting AIDS. And in her latest film, Save Me, now playing in New York City, she plays Gayle, head mistress of Genesis House, an all-male residential center that attempts to cure its guests of their “sexual brokenness” by using Christianity and God’s love. In other words, Gayle helps young men “pray the gay away.”

HOLLYOAKS actor Wallace hails HIV storyline
New HOLLYOAKS star Glen Wallace has revealed his delight at being involved in one of the soap's most memorable storylines in recent years. The actor, who plays Malachy Fisher in the Channel 4 soap, has praised the show's producers for tackling the issue of HIV.

"I think it's about time the issue was readdressed. It was one of the conversations I had with the producers when we talked about me coming back to show. Hollyoaks has a track record of tackling big issues. The HIV storyline is relevant to today's youth culture, and as they're the ones watching the show, we can tackle the issue in a sensitive way. As an actor, it's everything that you'd want because it's really something you can sink your teeth into. It's not been done in the UK for about 20 years with the Mark Fowler storyline in EASTENDERS, so to be involved in something of this magnitude is a big pat on the back for me."

EASTENDERS Jack Branning, aka Scott Maslen, ties the knot
EASTENDERS star Scott Maslen married Estelle Rubio yesterday after a nine-year romance. Scott, 37 - playboy Jack Branning in the soap-and singer Estelle, 33, had 200 guests including Barbara Windsor and Rita Simons, (barmaid Roxy Mitchell).

PATRICK ERWIN: Losing Faith
On GUIDING LIGHT wrapping up Josh’s time as a minister: "I know this was a very unpopular story. I will go out on a limb here and come out of the closet: I was a very big fan of this idea. In fact, it struck me as a great story idea several years ago. In my pipe dreams of becoming a head writer, I always thought I’d want to write that story for Josh Lewis."

Deep Soap: Convention-al Wisdom
Sara A. Bibel blogs on Sarah Palin: "The newcomer arrives from the sticks. She’s got a funny accent. She’s proud of her working class background and has contempt for the establishment, even though she craves money and power. Sound like anyone who has made the news lately?"

TOM CASIELLO: Baby Therapy!
"I love a good custody battle or a baby switch as much as the next soap fan. But sometimes, it's also really nice to believe in the future - to feel warm and mushy inside after an episode, rather than ripped up at watching families fall apart."