News Brief

DYLAN BRUCE: Dr. Chris has left the building
"I just wanted to thank all of the loyal and wonderful Chris Hughes fans. I recently filmed my last day on AS THE WORLD TURNS and cant stress enough how much I appreciate all of the support and kind words from the best fans in daytime. Working on As the World Turns was a truly wonderful experience that I will cherish and fondly remember forever. The cast and crew are amazing and I will greatly miss each and everyone of them. From the bottom of my heart, thanks again for the support and for being a fan."

INTERVIEW: Former ATWT star Allyson Rice (Pt. 2)
Don’t expect to see Allyson back on your TV screen anytime soon, either. “What I don’t miss about acting is it’s a business where you are not valued – especially women – the older and wiser you get. In your 30s, you are over the hill. In the area I am in now, the more experience you have behind you, that is really valued. To go from one to the other certainly was a drastic, and pleasant, change.”

San Francisco Giants' Roberts an extra on Y&R
Dave Roberts would prefer to start every day for the Giants, but he was thrilled with his role as an extra on Friday. Roberts arranged a behind-the-scenes visit to the set of his favorite soap opera, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. He surprised his wife and mother-in-law, who are longtime fans of the show — and Roberts concedes he's a daily devotee as well.

"Since high school," he said, grinning. "It's all my wife's fault."

They were extras in a lounge scene for an episode that will air Oct. 16.

"No lines or anything. We're just hanging out at a table in a bar or lounge-type place," Roberts said. "I wanted to really surprise them and it worked out great."

With piety, Ramadan also brings a slew of TV serials -- and ads
It is a season of egos, high-priced commercials, historical epics, strange comedies and prickly off-camera dramas involving Iranian makeup artists, Syrian directors and Egyptian movie stars.

Ramadan may be a month of prayer, fasting and virtue in the Muslim world, but it is a less than holy time on TV. Satellite channels and studios compete for viewers and advertising dollars as box office legends are rolled out for long-winded docudramas and thrillers that play like THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL amid minarets and desert landscapes.

EMMERDALE tops EASTENDERS in ratings again
EMMERDALE secured another victory over EASTENDERS in the ratings on Thursday night.

The latest hour-long edition of the Yorkshire-set soap drew an average of 5.49m (28.5%) to ITV1 in the 7pm hour. EASTENDERS managed an average of 5.11m (25.2%) over half an hour from 7.30pm, growing from 4.56m (23.2%) at 7.30pm to a peak of 5.53m (26.7%) 20 minutes later. Although EMMERDALE finished first, the BBC soap had a higher reach overall when figures for its BBC Three repeat - 1.15m (7.3%) at 10pm - are included. The two soaps will next go head-to-head this Tuesday (September 23).