Six weeks ago, when I was in Los Angeles for the Emmy Awards, a source close to “The Young and the REstless” told me they were letting go of Daniel Goddard. The Australian actor had played Cane Ashby for 13 years. “He doesn’t know it, but he’s out,” this source told me. “They’ve been trying to get rid of him for a long time.”
And now it’s happened. Goddard announced his exit on social media on Tuesday afternoon. I think he was surprised. The only reason I didn’t write it was, it would have been mean. I didn’t want to surprise him myself. Goddard is eminently employable on other soaps, easily. He could go to prime time, too. He won’t have trouble finding work.
Ratings for “Young and the Restless” are slightly up in the most recent report, but that’s relative. They are way down from last year and two years ago. The head of CBS Daytime is gone. As I told you the other day, Drew Barrymore’s CBS talk show is threatening the existence of “Y&R” and “Bold and the Beautiful.” Both shows will be paring down and tightening up to meet new challenges.
In Goddard’s case, he lost two co-stars, Kristoff St. John (who died suddenly this year) and Christel Khalil. Without them, his character was left dangling. He would be a shot in the arm to either “General Hospital” or “Days of our Lives.” One of them will pick him up. As for “Y&R,” they’d better get it together soon.
It’s with a heavy ❤️ that I share the news that I will no longer be part of the cast of the Young & the Restless. I’m as shocked & gutted as u r. I’m forever grateful for my 13yrs in the Y&R family but sadly it seems that without Neil & Lily… there just is no Cane. 💔 #yr pic.twitter.com/YwA0mmIC6u
— Daniel Goddard (@DanielGoddard) October 22, 2019
