Here are some of the news stories posted on Soap Central during 2020 that focus on how the coronavirus outbreak has impacted the daytime community. To read any of the articles listed below, simply click on the appropriate link.
To access articles from other years or to review articles with similar themes, please see the News Archive links below this text to access a specific year. Or to view a listing of all years for which news stories are available, simply click here.
March 13, 2020
General Hospital has announced that it will stop production on new episodes beginning next week. The move is a response to the ever-changing coronavirus outbreak.
March 17, 2020
As the nation takes unprecedented steps to curb the spread of COVID-19, those steps now include halting production of CBS's The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.
March 18, 2020
Days of our Lives will stop production for an indefinite period of time as the nation grapples with steps to curb the spread of COVID-19. The other three daytime drama series have already halted production.
March 19, 2019
The Daytime Emmys ceremony is the latest event to be canceled because of concerns over the Coronavirus outbreak. The ceremony, which was to have taken place over three nights in June, is now on hold indefinitely.
March 20, 2019
A growing list of celebrities are donating money to charities that are helping lessen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including All My Children alums Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley Santos) and Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo Santos).
March 23, 2020
Having been ill and in solo quarantine for over a week, The Young and the Restless star Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher; ex-Leo Stark, Days of our Lives) reveals he has tested positive for COVID-19, the strain of coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic.
March 25, 2020
Playwright and former The Young and the Restless actor Terrence McNally (ex-Dr. Robert Lynch) passed away due to complications from coronavirus.
March 25, 2020
The Writers Guild of America says it will not seek a strike vote while the nation deals with the current COVID-19 pandemic. Many believed the WGA would strike later this year, leaving daytime dramas and other shows in a lurch.
March 26, 2020
Love is in the air -- or rather, on Instagram, where The Young and the Restless alum Max Ehrich (ex-Fenmore Baldwin) and singer Demi Lovato have seemingly revealed that they are dating.
March 27, 2020
A new quarantine-themed coronavirus PSA made for people living with disabilities features Patrika Darbo (ex-Nancy Wesley, Days of our Lives; ex-Shirley Spectra, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Danny Woodburn (ex-Ken, B&B).
March 30, 2020
Cast members from CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful teamed up to create a feel-good video for fans during the coronavirus pandemic, reminding viewers that "we are all connected."
March 30, 2020
Popular soap stars Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin, The Young and the Restless) and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers, Y&R; ex-Nina Reeves, General Hospital) entertain fans with a creative "social distancing dance party" in a grocery store parking lot.
March 31, 2020
With production of General Hospital suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, ABC has found a creative way to extend the number of new episodes that have yet to air. GH will begin reairing past episodes every Friday.
April 1, 2020
Times are scary, but there's no need to feel alone! The cast of The Young and the Restless has created an uplifting video reminding fans that when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, we're all in it together.
April 1, 2020
General Hospital actress Jophielle Love (Violet Finn) delighted fans with a spontaneous performance on Instagram of a song called "We Will Save You."
April 1, 2020
The coronavirus epidemic continues to hit close to home for soap opera fans. General Hospital stars Paulina Bugembe (Valerie Spencer) and Emma Samms (ex-Holly Sutton) reveal that they have COVID-19.
April 2, 2020
The ratings for daytime dramas are surging during the coronavirus pandemic as millions of people across the country are forced to stay home. But how will the networks continue to meet the rising demand if they're unable to create new episodes?
April 6, 2020
Coronavirus is reported as the cause of death for actor Forrest Compton (ex-Mike Karr, The Edge of Night; ex-Alfred Cory, Another World; ex-Dr. Godsham, Loving), who passed away over the weekend at the age of 94.
April 6, 2020
Singer Jesse McCartney (ex-J.R. Chandler, All My Children) and his fiancée Katie Peterson are surviving the coronavirus lockdown by filming silly Instagram videos which they've titled The Quarantined Couple.
April 10, 2020
Jordi Vilasuso (Rey Rosales, The Young and the Restless) and his wife Kaitlin reveal that their family has been battling coronavirus, which they say is a terrifying experience because COVID-19 is "a very nasty, scary, mean virus."
April 20, 2020
In addition to airing repeat episodes on Fridays, General Hospital has come up with another way to extend its run of episodes during the coronavirus crisis: inserting flashback scenes into new episodes.
April 22, 2020
With several safety measures in place, the Australian soap opera Neighbours is about to resume production. Could its coronavirus production plan be a road map for getting US soaps back up and running?
April 27, 2020
Days of our Lives' Arianne Zucker (Nicole Walker) and several of her soap opera co-stars have started a website called Daytime Cares that aims to fundraise and help during the coronavirus pandemic.
May 6, 2020
Soap opera stars from across the generations are coming together for a Daytime Cares event, described as a "live variety show," to honor and uplift fans during the COVID-19 crisis.
May 7, 2020
The Young and the Restless' Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin) opens up about how the CBS soap might resume production and points out reasons why the writers might be forced to bring the coronavirus to Genoa City.
May 11, 2020
A scripted comedy series about COVID-19, titled Love in the Time of Corona, is the latest project by talented television producer/former soap star Joanna Johnson (ex-Caroline Spencer, The Bold and the Beautiful).
May 14, 2020
When might The Bold and the Beautiful resume production, and what will filming look like now that coronavirus is in our lives? Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer) and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy Forrester) discuss. Meanwhile, get the latest news on how international soap operas EastEnders and Neighbours are getting back up and running.
May 17, 2020
Will The Bold and the Beautiful be the first American soap opera to resume production in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic? Producers from the CBS drama are reportedly looking to get the show back up and running in June.
June 9, 2020
Days of our Lives Judi Evans (Adrienne Kiriakis) has been recovering in the hospital following a serious horse riding accident last month, and now she's been diagnosed with COVID-19 -- which nearly led to leg amputations.
June 15, 2020
CBS Daytime's The Bold and the Beautiful has become the first American soap opera to begin filming again following last week's California guidelines that allowed film and television shows to resume production with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
June 16, 2020
Find out what behind-the-scenes changes The Bold and the Beautiful has made to become the first American soap opera to resume production and how it might affect the viewing experience.
June 18, 2020
Inspired by her 103-year-old mother, Susan Lucci (Erica Kane, All My Children) has teamed up with the AARP to fight the COVID-19 care home crisis and to help families better protect their loved ones.
June 23, 2020
The Bold and the Beautiful is once again ready to get back to producing new episodes of the series. The CBS soap's plans hit a speed bump last week when the lab it had hired was producing false positive results on COVID-19 tests.
June 26, 2020
New episodes of General Hospital may soon be on the way, as producers of the ABC soap opera are aiming to restart production before the end of July.
July 3, 2020
With many more weeks of new material still to air, Days of our Lives is taking its time to get back into production. The NBC soap has, however, informed its cast and crew when they can be expected to head back to the studio to breathe more live into Salem, USA.
July 6, 2020
Could General Hospital doctor Hamilton Finn soon be treating fictional patients with coronavirus? Portrayer Michael Easton talks whether or not COVID-19 is coming to Port Charles.
July 7, 2020
The Bold and the Beautiful's Denise Richards (Shauna Fulton) dishes on what it's been like to return to the CBS soap opera now that it's shooting with coronavirus safety guidelines.
July 13, 2020
Emmy-winning digital drama The Bay has joined The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless by returning to production with COVID-19 safety measures in place.
July 13, 2020
Get ready to return to the glamorous world of The Bold and the Beautiful. The fashion-centric CBS soap opera will be back on television with all-new episodes this month -- and the juicy storyline details have already been released.
October 12, 2020
A positive COVID-19 test has forced Days of our Lives to shut down production for at least two weeks.
October 22, 2020
Break out some Champagne and some bold and beautiful facemasks, because it's time to celebrate! CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful is taping its 100th episode since returning to production following the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
November 2, 2020
The Young and the Restless has recruited Matt Katrosar, the real-life hubby of Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Newman), for some tense kidnapping scenes this week.
November 3, 2020
Two people in connection with The Young and the Restless have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus, but the CBS soap opera is able to continue with production.
November 17, 2020
The Young and the Restless had to do an emergency recast of the role of Chance Chancellor, as Donny Boaz reports he has contracted COVID-19. Days of our Lives alum Justin Gaston (ex-Ben Weston) is temporarily taking over.
November 20, 2020
The Bold and the Beautiful once again had to adjust its production schedule due to a positive COVID-19 test from someone connected to the CBS soap opera.
November 24, 2020
General Hospital is sailing into Thanksgiving week with an impressive milestone to its name: the ABC soap opera has completed 17 weeks of production without COVID-related setbacks or shutdowns. Find out how it compares to Days of our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful.
December 8, 2020
Briana Nicole Henry (Jordan Ashford, General Hospital) reveals that she and her husband, Kris Bowers, are on the mend following coronavirus diagnoses shortly after Thanksgiving.
December 28, 2019
S.W.A.T. star Shemar Moore (ex-Malcolm Winters, The Young and the Restless) is recovering after developing COVID-19 just before Christmas.
December 29, 2020
Recently engaged Days of our Lives actress Camila Banus (Gabi Hernandez) reveals that she has coronavirus and is quarantining with her new fiancé, Marlon Aquino, for at least the next ten days.
December 30, 2020
Gilligan's Island actress Dawn Wells, who played The Bold and the Beautiful's Alice in 2016, has died of causes related to COVID-19.
January 6, 2021
Daytime veteran Eva LaRue (Celeste Rosales, The Young and the Restless; ex-Maria Santos, All My Children) reveals that she and her daughter, Kaya, are currently recovering from coronavirus.
February 24, 2021
Just as beloved General Hospital star Réal Andrews has returned as Marcus Taggert, the actor reports that he tested positive for COVID-19. He has since tested negative but still must sit out going back to work for the time being.
