The Young and the Restless has found its new head writing team.Jamey Giddens and Dan O'Connor have been tapped to succeed Josh Griffith as co-head writers of the long-running CBS daytime drama. The news was first reported by TV Insider.
The series has been searching for a new head writer since Griffith stepped down from the position in June, just weeks after relinquishing his role as executive producer.
Both Giddens and O'Connor bring extensive daytime television experience to Genoa City.
A lifelong soap opera fan, Giddens became co-owner of Daytime Confidential in 2007, where he gained recognition as a writer and podcaster covering the daytime industry. He later created the primetime serial Ambitions, which aired on OWN from 2019 to 2020.
Giddens joined the Days of Our Lives writing staff in 2020 as a breakdown writer, earning both Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild of America Awards during his five-year tenure. He also contributed to the Peacock limited series Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem.
In 2025, Giddens moved to CBS's Beyond the Gates as a breakdown writer. He is currently nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards this year—one as part of the Days of Our Lives writing team and another for his work on Beyond the Gates.
O'Connor's daytime career began at One Life to Live, where he worked as a writers' assistant before advancing to continuity script supervisor and later script writer. Following the ABC soap's cancellation in 2012, he joined the writing staff of General Hospital. In 2019, he was promoted to co-head writer alongside Chris Van Etten, a position he held until 2024.
Like Giddens, O'Connor is an award-winning writer, having received both Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild honors for his work on General Hospital.
According to TV Insider, the Y&R cast and crew have already been informed of the leadership change, with Giddens and O'Connor expected to officially begin their new roles next week.
Griffith had served as The Young and the Restless head writer since 2019. He added executive producer responsibilities in 2023 before Sally McDonald joined him as co-executive producer in 2025. Earlier this year, McDonald became the show's sole executive producer after Griffith stepped away from producing to focus exclusively on writing. His departure from the series has not yet been publicly addressed.
From the We Love Soaps Archives
Longtime We Love Soaps readers may remember that Jamey Giddens joined us as a co-host on an episode of We Love Soaps TV in April 2010. Watch the interview below.
DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS
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