bold and beautiful young and restless production halt
Credit: Image: CBS

The CBS soap operas are temporarily shut down, effective immediately.

Following an emergency order by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to strengthen the city’s response to the coronavirus crisis (COVID-19) that placed temporary restrictions on restaurants, bars, and other establishments, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless have halted production. Young and Restless, recently renewed for four years until 2024, is produced by Bell Dramatic Serial Company and Sony Pictures Television, while Bold and the Beautiful is produced by Bell-Phillip Television Productions. Both CBS soap operas tape at CBS Studios, where their respective work stoppages will begin as of today, Tuesday March 17. Production is forecast to resume after two weeks. As both daytime serials film four to six weeks in advance, broadcasting of original episodes should continue uninterrupted until early May. As always, Soaps.com will advise of any schedule changes as they are announced.

Bold and the Beautiful and Young and the Restless join General Hospital, which suspended production as of Monday March 16 and set a return date of Friday April 10, and the cast of NBC soap opera. Days of our Lives is off this week and next, with no target return date set. Other soap events have been affected as well, such as Kate Linder’s OpportuniTea coming up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in April, which was postponed as a precautionary measure. Many states and provinces have taken unprecedented emergency steps to try to ‘flatten the curve’ and curb the spread of the coronavirus. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s announcement on Monday March 16 included temporary closure of bars and nightclubs that do not serve food, as well as movie theaters and entertainment venues, bowling alleys and arcades, and gyms and fitness centers. Restaurants, bars, and retail food facilities were allowed to continue to offer food for delivery, takeout or drive-thru, but not for dine-in eating on the premises. Garcetti also strongly urged houses of worship to limit large gatherings and to observe social distancing practices in their services.