Young And The Restless Characters We Wish Never Left

Published on September 3, 2020. Updated March 10, 2022

The Young and the Restless (Y&R) has been on the air for over four decades and in that time, fans have fallen in love with many different characters who have graced the show over the years. Viewers have seen heroes take on the bad guys; Genoa City residents endure tragedy; and couples fall in and out of love. While characters do come and go, audiences always hate seeing favorites leave. While this is simply a part of soap opera life, below is an overview of some Y&R characters we wish never left.

Want soap spoilers delivered to your inbox every week? Sign up for Fame10’s weekly soap opera spoilers newsletter.

12. Paul Williams

Paul Williams has been on-again/off-again in the land of Genoa City since 2018, and it’s been a shame. While he’s undeniably an iconic character on the show – the longest standing one on the soap when he was in storylines – Williams was never given a proper exit both times he has “left” the Y&R. In the fall of 2018, actor Doug Davidson’s contract was not renewed, and Paul Williams was simply erased in storylines. While he would return in 2019, earlier in 2020, Davidson reported that he was not given a return date for filming. Actor Doug Davidson recently lamented on the fact that CBS just pushed him aside, which (if true) is pretty disrespectful.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

11. Sage Newman

Just when fans started to fall in love with Sage Newman, there was a plot twist in her storyline that had her passing away due to a car accident. It made for nail-biting television; however, Sage was finally coming into her own on the show. Sadly, there is little chance she’ll ever return.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

10. Malcolm Winters

There are plenty of Y&R viewers out there that miss seeing actor Shemar Moore play Malcolm Winters! With that said, his talent swept him away to prime-time opportunities, so it’s hard not to see why he doesn’t spend that much time in the land of Genoa City these days. Still, many fans wish he never left, but understand why he did!
©Brian Lowe/jpistudios.com

9. Ronan Malloy

He had a brief stint in the land of Genoa City; however, it was a very impactful one. With Chance Chancellor back on the scene, could his half-brother Ronan return to get into the action? Anything is possible, and if Nina came back as well, fans could see a full-out family reunion!
©sean smith/jpistudios.com

8. Cane Ashby

Many Y&R fans were devastated when Cane Ashby left Genoa City so abruptly in late 2019. He did seem very lost without Lily, and when his connection to the Winters family was erased, his storylines within the show seemed to be removed too. With that said, Cane could enjoy an incredible comeback, but it would have been nice if the writers had invested a little more time in coming up with something creative to keep Ashby around. He was certainly a fan favorite, and many viewers miss actor Daniel Goddard.
© XTArroyo/jpistudios.com

7. Daniel Romalotti

Its been many years since Daniel Romalotti has been in Genoa City, as he opted to raise his little girl Daisy (along with girlfriend Heather in tow), outside the small town. With that said, there still feels like a piece is missing when Phyllis and Summer gather, and Kevin still could use his BFF by his side.

Love Y&R? Share all of your Y&R opinions and join the discussion on our Y&R Facebook Page.

6. Deacon Sharpe

Yes, Deacon is a bad boy, but he’s a bad boy that makes things interesting in Genoa City! He manipulated, schemed, and lied during his stint on Y&R; however, he’s certainly one of those characters fans love to hate. The good news is there’s always a chance he can pop back on the Y&R, like he recently did on The Bold and the Beautiful (B&B), as he’s one of those characters that has graced both daytime dramas.
©sean smith/jpistudios.com

5. Dylan McAvoy

Dylan left Sharon (and the Y&R) when his character was placed in the witness protection program. McAvoy was smart, kind, understanding and incredibly handsome. His onscreen chemistry with Sharon was great, and it was refreshing to see her in a solid relationship with someone other than Nick Newman (or Adam for that matter). While actor Steve Burton would surely relish the opportunity to rejoin Y&R, given his current situation with GH, it’s unclear when we might see Dylan again.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

4. Avery Clark

Speaking of Dylan, who else wishes Avery Clark never left Y&R? She had established solid roots in Genoa City thanks to her sister Phyllis and niece Summer. The gorgeous lawyer seemed like the total package: smart, sassy, funny, and beautiful. She bid adieu to Y&R in 2015 when she decided to start fresh in a new town. The silver lining to all of this is the fact that Avery could easily slip back into storylines at any moment in time. There are many Y&R fans out there that would do a little happy dance if and when that happened.
© sean smith/jpistudios.com

3. Grace Turner

Much like Deacon Sharpe, Grace Turner is a character that loves to stir the pot. She came between Nick and Sharon Newman in the late 1990s and was an all-around schemer. She certainly made things in Genoa City interesting and dramatic. Grace has come back to Y&R now and again for special appearances; however, many fans would love to see her brought back for good. Of course, that would all depend on her scheduling over at B&B, where actress Jennifer Gareis currently plays the role of Donna Logan.
©John Paschal/JPI

2. Drucilla Winters

Dru left the Y&R in 2007 when she fell over a cliff trying to break up a fight between Sharon and Phyllis. While her body was never found, everyone presumed she had passed on because of the fall she took. Dru was certainly a fan-favorite and many in television land mourned her passing, alongside Genoa City residents. Could Drucilla return? Anything is possible, but it’s a shame her character left in the first place.
©Aaron Montgomery/JPI

1. Brad Carlton

Brad Carlton passed away in 2009 and many longtime Y&R fans still miss seeing him on the show. His passing was completely unexpected. As a staple on Y&R, Brad was involved in many pivotal storylines. At the time of his passing, audiences wondered why Carlton was taken in such a final way. When he passed, his body was found frozen under a lake, so it would be very difficult to bring Brad back. It doesn’t seem like Carlton will ever return to Genoa City, but the entire incident made for an incredible plot twist in the story.
©Sean Smith/jpistudios.com