News Round-up

ALL MY CHILDREN says “I do” to hosting daytime TV’s first lesbian wedding
Gaystory lines on nighttime network TV have, happily, started to feel a bit "ho-hum" by now. But when it comes to daytime, same-sex action is still rare enough to cause a stir. And the latest queer soap-opera brouhaha happens this week on ALL MY CHILDREN, when lesbian lovebirds Bianca Montgomery (Eden Riegel) and Reese Williams (Tamara Braun) tie the knot in daytime TV’s very first same-sex wedding.

“I think it’s a trademark of the show,” says All My Children executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers of the show’s socially aware plots. “And I think the challenge is to do it in a way that is not political, but from character—to take the audience on a journey of getting to know people for who they are, without being preachy. That in itself teaches a huge lesson.”

“I was like, lesbian wedding? Sign me up!” Reigel says. “Given that this is a big issue right now, I wanted to show people a healthy same-sex relationship.”

Valentine's Day a time to show vets we care
Americans are asked to say thank you to hospitalized and outpatient veterans this week through wish-list donations and Valentine's Day cards.

"It's a very enriching experience, spending a couple of hours with them. They love to talk and they have wonderful stories. It's living history lessons, said DAYS OF OUR LIVES actor James Reynolds of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, who grew up in Oskaloosa, Kan., and who is the 2009 chairman of the National Salute to Veterans. "Helping others comes with the territory. It's that way in a small town People call it giving back now, but I call it doing what you're supposed to do."

INTERVIEW: Former DAYS star Gloria Loring
The "Friends and Lovers" singer was a guest on "Stardish Radio" last night.

90210's Adrianna teases her baby's fate
"The fate of the baby is still undecided. I think Adrianna wants to; she's getting attached. But there might be a twist. People are saying that Brenda is going to adopt her baby, but I don't think it's going to be that predictable."

INTERVIEW: Former soap star Michael Brainard
The former ALL MY CHILDREN (Joey aka Jake) and SANTA BARBARA (Ted) appeared on "Brandon's Buzz" last night.

CORRIE bosses reschedule filming to give widowed William Roache 'all the time he needs' to mourn wife
CORONATION STREET producers are frantically reworking actor Bill Roache's storylines on the soap following the sudden death of his wife Sara. The actor, who has played Weatherfield stalwart Ken Barlow for 48 years, is in a 'state of shock' after his 58-year-old wife passed away at the couple's home in Cheshire on Saturday. Officials from the soap opera said she had not been ill and the exact cause of her death has not yet been released.

Win tickets to a special screening of CORONATION STREET live episodes
On 24 February they'll be screening two episodes from 1961 which were transmitted live on the big screen in the plush surroundings of London's BFI.