Doug Davidson Paul Williams stories to tell yr
Credit: D Guignebourg, Sean Smith/JPI

Will Genoa City ever be the same without the presence — even a small one — of Paul Williams?

It’s been over a week since longtime The Young and the Restless actor (of 43 years!) Doug Davidson took to social media and announced he’d had enough. Whether you’ve been following this heartbreaking story, of one actor’s feelings of being “treated like a day player,” or had no idea any of this was going on, fans are still reeling, and let’s face it, the dust hasn’t settled.

While we tried to lighten the somber mood by taking a moment to honor the actor with a gallery filled full of memories of the life and times of Paul — including photos dating back to the late 1970s — fans have continued to vent about this daytime injustice, and well, we can’t blame them, even though changes are always made with time.

Davidson, the class act that he is, recently posted a photo with the message, “At this age, I’m only interested in consistency, stability, respect and loyalty.” His supporters were quick to reply with encouragement and support. Linda stated, “Prayers for the light to overcome the shadow that is an unjust situation you are experiencing,” and Michelle Wheeler added, “You are such a good person and great actor. It always has been wonderful watching you on #YR.”

As longtime fans, we couldn’t agree more… if this is indeed the end for Davidson’s time on the CBS soap, we will never forget Paul and the evident love and emotion he gave the character for over 40 years.

Watch: The Life and Times of Paul Williams

With the continued drama going on in Genoa City — on so many levels — it just doesn’t make any sense that Paul isn’t front and center with the rest of the remaining vets. We never claim to be soap opera writers, but look, even we came up with five great ideas (with photos) as to how Young & Restless should be telling stories for Paul. After you’ve looked through our gallery below, be sure to leave us your comments on what you’d like to see for the character’s future.

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