Multiple sources have shared with Soap Central that The Young and the Restless’ Josh Griffith has vacated his position as head writer. At press time, a replacement had not been announced.
The Revolving Door
Griffith has a long history at Y&R. He first joined the show’s writing team in 2006. Griffith became head writer in 2012, and he remained with the show until the following year.
After a head writing stint at Days of our Lives, Griffith returned to Genoa City as top scribe in 2019. He served as executive producer on the show in 2008, and again from 2019 until earlier this year. (Soap Central broke the news that Griffith was stepping away from his executive producer duties to focus on writing. Sally McDonald is the show’s executive producer)
Over the last few years, Griffith has told stories involving the reintroduction of Claire Newman (Hayley Erin), believed dead after her birth in 1999, the reintroduction of Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) as the enigmatic Aristotle Dumas, and Mariah’s (Camryn Grimes) kidnapping of Dominic (Ethan Ray Clark).
Griffith also wrote the story of Danny (Michael Damian) and Christine (Lauralee Bell) remarrying. Two of his biggest stories over the last year have been the Artificial Intelligence war involving Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), and Cane.
His other tale included the return of villain Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Matt was believed dead after he ripped out his tubes in a hospital bed, hoping to frame Nick (Joshua Morrow) for his murder.
The Write Stuff
A winner of numerous Daytime Emmys, Griffith, most recently, won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team in 2021 and 2023.
Griffith began his soap opera writing career on the beloved NBC serial Santa Barbara. He stayed on the show until 1991, and then he became associate head writer on One Life to Live under scribe Michael Malone.
In early 1992, Griffith became co-head writer at OLTL. Next, Griffith elevated his career by becoming co-creator of a new soap opera — NBC’s Sunset Beach.
After Sunset Beach ended in late 1999, nearly three years after it launched, Griffith returned to Llanview, along with Malone, to be the head writers of OLTL.
Next, Griffith became a script writer at As the World Turns, working for the late, great Hogan Sheffer. Griffith remained within the CBS Daytime family by joining Y&R as a creative consultant in 2006.
Soap Central will keep viewers updated on who is taking over as Y&R’s head writer.
