Ratings: CBS Daytime Lineup Rises, 'Bold and the Beautiful' Hits 8 Year High

The week of February 16-20 was a good one for CBS Daytime as the network's entire lineup posted year-to-year growth in viewers, with several delivering their biggest audiences in more than a year, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings.

The Bold and the Beautiful averaged 4.18 million viewers, up +10% from a year ago, and its largest average weekly audience since the week ending February 16, 2007. It was also up +13% in women 25-54 (1.7/09 from 1.5/08) from a year ago.

The Young and the Restless averaged 5.58 million viewers, up +7% from last year, and its largest audience since the week ending January 31, 2014 (the final week for Billy Miller and Michael Muhney). Among women demographics, Y&R was up +5% in women 25-54 (2.2/12 from 2.1/12), +15% in women 18-49 (1.5/09 from 1.3/09) and +17% in women 18-34 (0.7/05 from 0.6/05), all best since the week ending January 31, 2014.

As for the non-soap programs, The Talk averaged 3.01 million viewers, up +7% from last year and its largest weekly audience since the week ending February 14, 2014. Let's Make a Deal 2 averaged 4.25 million viewers, its largest audience ever, and was up +13% in women 18-49 (0.9/06 from 0.8/06) from a year ago. Let's Make a Deal 1 averaged 3.66 million viewers, up +14% from a year ago. The Price is Right 1 averaged 5.71 million viewers, up +7% from last year. The Price is Right 2 averaged 6.65 million viewers, a gain of +9% from the same week a year ago in both viewers and women 18-49 (1.2/08 from 1.1/07).

RELATED:
- 'All My Children' Tornado Story Leads Show to 8-Month Ratings High

Former Soap Star Victoria Rowell Sues CBS, Sony For Retaliation

Victoria Rowell at Thursday's press conference. Photo courtesy of Roger Newcomb

[press release]

FORMER “YOUNG & THE RESTLESS” STAR SUES CBS, SONY FOR RETALIATION AFTER ACTRESS CALLED FOR DIVERSITY ON SHOW 

Victoria Rowell, Y&R’s “Drucilla Winters,” Claims Companies Refused to Rehire Her in Retaliation for Advocacy on Behalf of African American Actors 

New York, NY— Former “Young and the Restless” star Victoria Rowell today filed a lawsuit claiming that CBS, Sony Pictures and other media companies refused to rehire her after she advocated for greater diversity among those who worked on the daytime drama. Rowell and her lawyers discussed the complaint at a press conference held steps from CBS headquarters.

“All Ms. Rowell is seeking is basic fairness. We are confident that Ms. Rowell will be rehired if the issueis considered in a serious and non-retaliatory manner,” said Cyrus Mehri, a founding partner of Mehri & Skalet, PLLC, the Washington, DC-based law firm representing Rowell. “Ms. Rowell made Drucilla Winters one of the most compelling characters ever to appear on daytime television. In refusing to re-employ her, the defendants aren’t just hurting Ms. Rowell; they’re acting against their own economic self-interest.”

Longtime 'The Young and the Restless' Star Victoria Rowell Filing Complaint in Federal Court Against CBS, Sony Claiming Denied Re-Employment

Former The Young and the Restless star Victoria Rowell is filing a complaint in federal court against CBS, Sony Pictures Television and other defendants claiming that she was denied re-employment on the highest rated daytime soap opera in the country in retaliation for her public and private complaints regarding the lack of diversity in front of and behind the camera on the show.

Rowell says she was the first African American female with a leading role on The Young and the Restless in 1990 when she brought to life the role of Drucilla Barber Winters. She says she "reluctantly left the show in 2007 after facing years of racial discrimination" that are described in the complaint. During her tenure she won eleven NAACP Image Awards and received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations.

Note: Stephanie Williams starred as Amy Lewis during the 1980s, and Tonya Lee Williams started on Y&R as Olivia around the same time as Rowell.

Charles Pratt Sr. Teases What's Ahead on 'The Young and the Restless' (Spoilers)

The Young and the Restless head writer and executive producer Charles Pratt Jr. previews what's ahead on the soap in a new interview with THR.com.

"Victor and Jack will go head-to-head, and a mysterious new person will come to town," Pratt reveals. "A major storm is on the way, guaranteed to turn lives and loves upside down. Secrets will be revealed. And when a plane goes down, lives are rearranged."

Watch a sneak peek of the Y&R plane crash below:

'The Young and the Restless' Alum Beau Kazer Has Died at Age 63

Beau Kazer in 1976

Beau Kazer, who originated the role of Brock Reynolds on The Young and the Restless in 1974, passed away on December 30 in Thousand Oaks, CA. He was 63.

The Toronto native made the move to Los Angeles when he was only 17. There, he studied at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre. After graduating, Kayzer made his debut on General Hospital, where he was an extra. He then landed the much more high-profile role on Y&R, playing Katherine Chancellor's (Jeanne Cooper) son, Brock — though he returned to GH as Dr. Bunny Willis in 1983.

Over the years Brock transformed from a rebellious young man into a minister and lawyer, among other careers. During his 1999 return, the character learned he fathered a daughter, Mackenzie Browning (Ashley Bashioum).

'The Young and the Restless' Star Melody Thomas Scott: 'I Truly Thought I Was Going To Die'

On Monday morning, longtime The Young and the Restless star Melody Thomas Scott provided a Facebook update on "horrific nightmare" she tweeted about on December 14. At the time, the actress said she had been incapacitated following a serious reaction to a medication prescribed to treat a sinus infection.

"Have just returned to work after 6 weeks of misery, a brief hospital stay,& have turned to alternative remedies,as the medical community had nothing 2 offer me," Scott wrote.

Read an update on her condition and the complete story of the ordeal below:

Trying to update my story about what's been going on with my health. Tried to do it yesterday, but must have done something wrong because it didn't post! As I'm really more of a Twitter person, FB is still a bit of a mystery to me. But Twitter's 140 character restriction simply will not do for this epic of mine so, I shall try again...

PRESCRIPTION FOR MADNESS
It started on Thursday,November 13. I had been sick with a sinus infection for a couple of weeks, which also included a hellish cough. I had already missed some work, which, in my business, you had better be half dead to call in sick. I was. At least I felt like I was. I had a constant fever, had no energy, was very pale and just couldn't beat this thing. For reasons too complicated to go into here, I found myself with no personal physician at this time in my life. The previous week I had found a week's dose of the antibiotic, Zithromax, in my medicine cabinet and happily started taking it, thinking I would finally feel better. I finished it. I felt better for a day or two, then plunged into feeling worse than ever.

"You have to go to the doctor," everyone started saying to me.

"I'd love to...Who should I go to?"

"Don't you have a doctor?"

"No, do you?"

"Well, no."

Then my husband suggested I go see (We'll call him Dr. Smith,for now.)

We didn't really know him very well. He's not a doctor I would have chosen to go to, though I had seen him once a year ago, when preparing to go to Monte Carlo to do some press for my show.

I was desperate. I had been missing too many tape dates and I HAD to start feeling better. Dr. Smith had two office locations: One in Beverly Hills, where we live, and one about 40 miles away. On this Thursday he was only seeing patients in the office farthest from our house. Of course. It couldn't be easy. As I was soon to discover, nothing in this process would be easy.

My assistant drove me to Dr. Smith's office. My husband met us there. They snuck me in the back of the medical building so that I would have privacy. Chest x-ray: check. Lung capacity test: Check. Listening to heart and lungs: Very croupy. I wheezed terribly every time I exhaled. Even I knew it sounded terrible.

'The Young and the Restless' Holiday Spoilers

Y&R stars Kristoff St. John, Gina Tognoni, Peter Bergman, Cady McClain,
Doug Davidson and Lauralee Bell.

The holiday season is filled with love and unexpected surprises this year on CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.

As Adam (Justin Hartley) tries to reclaim his life under a new identity, he discovers shocking information about his father, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) on Tuesday, December 23.

Across town, Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) and Hilary Curtis (Mishael Morgan) struggle with being naughty or nice as they try to keep their relationship a secret on Wednesday, December 24. Also, Devon’s father Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) has reason to hope for a Christmas miracle that has the potential to rock the Winters family to their core in 2015.

'The Young and the Restless' Casting Call: Caucasian Male, Mid-20s

The Young and the Restless is casting a new male to join daytime's top-rated drama. The show is seeking a Caucasian male in his mid-20s to play the contract role of Matt Wilkins, who is described as a handsome, sophisticated scion of a wealthy, Kennedy-esque clan. The role is set to start shooting at the end of January.

Could this actually be a recast Kyle Abbott?

'The Young and the Restless' Actors Tape Appearance on 'The Queen Latifah Show'

Justin Hartley, Daniel Goddard, Joshua Morrow, Queen Latifah, Peter Bergman and Bryton James

The Young and the Restless actors Justin Hartley, Daniel Goddard, Joshua Morrow, Peter Bergman and Bryton James will be featured on an upcoming episode of The Queen Latifah Show. The men of Y&R were originally scheduled to appear on November 26 but the show postponed the episode on Friday following the news Latifah had been canceled.

UPDATE:
The men of Y&R will appear on Tuesday, February 17.

Watch a sneak peek of the appearances below.

'Oprah: Where Are They Now?' Features Meredith Baxter on Sunday, November 23

On the next episode of Oprah: Where Are They Now?, airing this Sunday, November 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on OWN, multi-platinum hip hop artist T.I. reveals his 'aha' moment; plus, at home updates with MTV's Downtown Julie Brown, and Family Ties mom Meredith Baxter, .

Actress Meredith Baxter played longtime favorite TV mom Elyse Keaton on the hit show Family Ties, and guest-starred on The Young and the Restless this year. In a 2011 appearance on the Oprah show Baxter opened up about coming out as a lesbian. Now, at home, she talks candidly about life with her wife of two years and the influence of Family Ties. Then, multi-platinum, three time Grammy-winning hip hop artist and reality star T.I., invites cameras into his enormous Atlanta home and talks about the “aha” moment that changed his life, and how being a father of six helped him be a better man. Next, an update with MTV's Downtown Julie Brown at home, as she opens up about her surprising background and more about her life as a wife and mother. Plus, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Francis left Hollywood for Harvard and now, she is an anchor on FOX Business Network. A mother of two, Melissa opens up at home in New York City about her challenging childhood as a child TV star, and how she got her first big break in news. Finally, an interview with former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.

Watch a sneak peek of the episode below:

'The Young and the Restless' Actress Kate Linder Co-Stars in Katie Holmes Movie 'Miss Meadows'

 Kate Linder portrays Principal Trudy Navis to the film's star, Katie Holmes in the title role
as a substitute teacher with a mysterious past in Miss Meadows, opening in theaters
and On Demand, November 14th. Photo Credit: ©2014 Entertainment One Films

Kate Linder earned her first-ever single title card in the film's opening credits portraying Principal Trudy Navis to Katie Holmes' substitute teacher, Miss Meadows, in the film of the same name. Miss Meadows opens today in select theaters and On Demand.

Linder raves, "Katie Holmes is a talented and incredibly generous actress and I am so excited to be part of this wonderfully original film."

Photo Credit: ©2014 Entertainment One Films

Linder, who plays Esther Valentine on CBS' top-rated soap opera The Young and the Restless, received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, and had roles in the feature films Hysteria (2012) and Erased (2013).

Linder also recently wrapped another feature, Stereotypically You with Abby Elliott and Kal Penn, and another film to be announced soon.

Watch the trailer for Miss Meadows below:

Ratings: 'The Young and the Restless' Averages 4.98 Million Viewers, Biggest Audience Since March

On November 5, Justin Hartley debuted as Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless.

The Young and the Restless delivered its largest average weekly audience since March, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending November 7.

The Young and the Restless averaged 4.98 million viewers during the week, up 6% from the prior week (from 4.71m) and its largest audience since the week ending March 7. Among key women demographics, Y&R was up +5% in women 25-54 (2.0/13 from 1.9/12), +8% in women 18-49 (1.3/09 from 1.2/09) and +17% in women 18-34 (0.7/06 from 0.6/05).

'The Young and the Restless' Casts Tobias, Jeffrey Christopher Todd Debuts December 5

Jeffrey Christopher Todd has joined the cast of CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. He will play Tobias, a Jabot employee working on Ashley's team in the lab.

The original casting notice described the character as a lab technician in his mid 20s to early 30s, who is quirky but with "a cold, calculating energy about him."

Todd will first air in the recurring role on Friday, December 5. His credits include Wizards of Waverly Place, Switched at Birth and Free Agents.

Watch his demo reel below:

'The Young and the Restless' Adds Nadine Nicole as Gwen

Nadine Nicole has joined the cast of CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. She will play the recurring role of Gwen, a conservative accountant at Jabot by day who is the exact opposite at night.

Nicole is scheduled to make her Y&R debut on December 3.