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Breaking News: Y&R Head Writer Josh Griffith Fires All Breakdown Writers and Vows to Do Their Jobs Himself

Josh Griffith

YandRRecaps.com has learned of a shakeup in the Young and The Restless writing staff.


Who Was Fired

According to an insider at Y&R, Josh Griffith has eliminated the entire Y&R breakdown writing staff as a cost-cutting measure.

Josh Griffith

Breakdown writers are responsible for mapping out storylines across multiple episodes.

In December 2022, Anthony Morina left his position as Co-Executive Producer, which leaves Griffith as the only Executive Producer, Head Writer, and now, Breakdown Writer.

Sources say that the writers who were let go are:

  • Natalie Minardi Slater
  • Jeff Beldner
  • Michael Conforti
  • Marin Gazzaniga
  • Simone Hawthorne
  • Sara Bibel

Problematic Exits

There are conflicting reports on whether 5 or 6 breakdown writers left, but one thing is clear… The writing is in the hands of one man, Griffith.

Sara Bibel has tweeted about leaving the show.

An unnamed insider says that the “timing of the firings is suspect given that WGA negotiations were coming up” on the show. WGA is the Writers Guild of America.

The same insider says that there was some “restructuring of the… staff to streamline the creative process.”

According to Joseph Kapsch of TheWrap, both Sony Pictures Television, which produces the show, and CBS which airs it, declined to comment on the matter.

Joseph goes on to say that spokespeople for The Young and The Restless have not responded to a request for comments either.


Unusual Staffing Choice

Production sources at Days of Our Lives and General Hospital say that they still have breakdown writers alongside their scriptwriters, so this move by Griffith comes as a surprise.

A writer from another daytime drama has said that “Soap writers have long felt shafted by WGA and this doesn’t help matters.”

The writer continues, “We understand the industry is going through transition but it’s a slap in the face for five hardworking writers to be fired.”


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