Sally Sussman named new Y&R head writer

The Young and the Restless has named Sally Sussman as its new head writer. Sussman returns to the show that she helped make the top-rated soap on television. Sussman will take over duties vacated by Charles Pratt Jr.

It's a homecoming, of sorts, at The Young and the Restless as the top-rated CBS soap has named Emmy and Writers Guild Award winner Sally Sussman as its new head writer. The announcement comes just days after it was revealed that Charles Pratt Jr. had exited daytime to take on a new project in primetime.

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"Sally was part of the team that first brought Y&R to its long-standing position as America's #1 daytime drama and brings with her years of experience writing serialized storylines," Steve Kent, senior executive vice president of programming for Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement. "Her long-standing familiarity with the citizens of Genoa City and her great storytelling make her a perfect choice to take the reins at Y&R."

Sussman has extensive writing experience on both episodic and daytime drama series. In fact, after working for several years as a writer on various programs, in 1983, Sussman was hired to work with William J. Bell on The Young and the Restless. Sussman was with Y&R for five years, serving as story consultant and later associate head writer. During her time with Y&R, she was nominated for three Emmy Awards.

Sussman eventually parted ways with Y&R and created NBC's groundbreaking daytime drama Generations, where she served as head writer and executive producer for the series' entire run. She later also made history as the executive producer of MTV's first scripted series, Spyder Games.

Most recently, Sussman completed her first documentary feature, Midnight Return: The Story of Billy Hayes and Turkey, which had its World Premiere as part of Cannes Classics at the Festival De Cannes 2016.

Sussman was also part of the Y&R writing team from 2005 to 2006.

"We are thrilled to have Sally return to The Young and The Restless, both as an award-winning writer, and someone who is passionate about honoring the legacy of the series with character driven story," added Angelica McDaniel, Executive Vice President, Daytime Programs and Syndicated Program Development, CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Distribution. "The powerhouse partnership of Sally and Mal Young, our talented new Executive Producer, sets an even brighter course for daytime's #1 drama."

As previously reported by Soap Central, Y&R's previous head writer and executive producer Chuck Pratt is headed to helm the new FOX series Star.

What are your thoughts on Sally Sussman returning to Y&R? Are you excited that the show's new writer has an extensive history with the show? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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