Eric Braeden victor "The Young and the Restless" Set CBS television CityLos Angeles09/10/21© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com310-657-9661
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

It’s almost impossible to imagine The Young and the Restless without Victor Newman and his portrayer, Eric Braeden. And yet this weekend, rumors surfaced that we might have to do exactly that, as the iconic character and his much-loved alter ego would soon be exiting Genoa City.

Never one to let a rumor go unaddressed, Braeden went directly to the fans — via his Twitter feed — to set the record straight. “Please don’t fall for someone’s rumor that I have been written off,” he insisted. “If that were the case, I’d tell you myself, trust me!”

Certainly he’s given us plenty of reason over the years to trust that we’d hear any such news directly from him. The actor is never shy about speaking out, especially where his future with the show is concerned. You might recall that last year, People magazine asked if he might be considering retiring. Braeden’s blunt answer? “Hell, no!”

Grateful for the love he’s been shown over the years, Braeden went on to say that his intention was “to stay as long as I can!”

More: A second chance for Y&R’s Sally and Adam? 

So where did the most recent round of rumors come from? Believe it or not, they seem to have time-travelled all the way from 2009! It seems that back then, whispers began circulating when Braeden and the soap were in contract negotiations.

So why did they suddenly resurface? It seems a Twitter user named @momcapade was tweeting about the long-ago headlines, but failed to mention that the rumors about Braeden potentially exiting were nearly 15 years old. “Didn’t mean to cause a stir,” she apologized upon realizing that things had gotten blown out of proportion. “We love [Victor]… and there isn’t a show without him!”

Although Braeden isn’t leaving, thank goodness, we’ve gathered all the latest Young & Restless exits into a photo-filled gallery you can check out here!