Young and the Restless Star Doug Davidson Won't Return To Y&R, Says His Exit Was About Money

Photo byThe Young and the Restless/Twitter

Doug Davidson, longtime star of The Young and the Restless (Y&R), sheds light on his exit from the CBS soap opera. Davidson first appeared as Paul Williams in 1978, with his final episode airing in October 2019. The actor says sees no possibility of returning to the show. In fact, Davidson states he's retiring from acting altogether.

Soap Hub reports that Davidson describes emptying his dressing room as an emotional experience. CBS/Sony asked him to remove his belongings so they could reassign the space to another actor.

He found it emotional to pack items like framed soap magazine covers, an inflatable bed for overnight stays, and numerous cast photos from over the years.

In 2019, Davidson learned of his impending departure from The Young and the Restless. The producers informed him there would be no farewell storyline and that they had no plans to explain his character's absence to viewers.

"The producers said no one needed to know [about my firing]. I approached a producer three times that year - in April, June, and once more. I warned that not writing for me would raise suspicions. I was still under contract. They told me not to worry," Davidson said.

The actor mentions that The Young and the Restless reached out about his participation in the 50th-anniversary episode. Initially excited about a potential reunion with the cast, his excitement quickly faded when money became a topic of discussion.

Davidson argues that he played a role in the show's rise to become the top-rated soap opera. He believes that Paul's character is more costly than bringing back Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). He thinks it came down to money. And then, later, respect.

She Knows Soaps reports that Davidson felt disrespected by CBS when they tried to push him out. He thought they owed him some respect after being a part of the show for 41 years.

When asked if he'd consider Young and the Restless, he said there is nothing they could do or offer that would bring him back. He's ready to move on from that chapter of his life.

"At this point...probably not. It'll be five years this October," the actor remarks.

With his daughter Heather Stevens' (Vail Bloom) death last week, fans anticipated his return for her funeral. It looks like Paul won't appear in person to say goodbye to Heather.

Y&R fans, would you like to see Doug Davidson return? Do you miss seeing Paul Williams on screen? Keep watching Young and the Restless, airing weekdays on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus. Please share your thoughts with me in the comments section below. Remember to follow me to read more of my content.