Young and Restless fans unhappy over Tucker recast

January 29, 2010

CBS Fans of CBS soap The Young and the Restless are unhappy about the re-casting of character Tucker McCall. The character was originally played by actor William Russ but producers at Y&R decided to re-cast the character with actor Stephen Nichols taking over but this hasn’t gone down well with some fans of the soap. Producers decided to re-cast the character because of a change in the direction of planned storylines; it was decided Tucker would have a close connection to a resident of Genoa City.

Not long after joining The Young and the Restless actor William Russ was replaced by new actor Stephen Nichols who had previously appeared in General Hospital as the villain Stefan Cassadine. Since the recast was announced and Nichols made his first on-screen appearance as the new incarnation of Tucker fans of the soap have been posting on the ATV News site expressing their unhappiness with the change. Below are just some of the comments posted by angry fans.

Gross! This new Tucker McCall is a recycled soaper! William Russ was a breath of fresh air. I was proud that my favorite show cast him. What a let down! – Bec

I was so excited to see where the character of Tucker McCall would go when Russ was playing him. Now I can’t wait for Tucker McCall to leave Genoa City asap! – Marie

Bring back the first Tucker. He was the best new thing on Y&R in awhile. I have watched this soap for many years and William Russ had really become a new reason to tune in. I was proud that my soap had cast him. PLEASE bring him back! – Dadia

The sudden recasting of characters in soaps, especially American ones, are common place but while some recasts work others don’t always. Famously in the mid 1980s super-soap Dallas recast the character of matriarch Miss Ellie. Actress Barbara Bel Geddes had played the character but for one season Donna Reed took on the role but proved unpopular with fans and Bel Geddes reprised the role the following season.