After a year and a half on All My Children Cady McClain - or Dixie Martin, to be specific - was abruptly killed off due to a poisoned pancake. 

From there, McClain was the first to admit that the turn of events was disappointing, but you know what they say: as one door closes, another opens.

The actress took several months off to put the finishing touches on her debut CD, “Blue Glitter Fish,” and perform her music at various venues on the east coast. As Soapdom reports, before long, she was called in by As the World Turns to reprise her Daytime Emmy-winning role of Rosanna Cabot.

Of course, when we last saw Rosanna, she was in a coma. But it does appear as though this status could be changing soon.

In a recent interview, McClain said that everyone at As the World Turns was happy to see her return.  She also shared some insight into working on the showm which actually equates to the differences of working for ABC and PGP. 

“There is a certain ease there (at ATWT). It’s really just about the show and the actors and what we’re doing there.  The larger world doesn’t make its presence known over there. You can just focus on the work you’re doing and the people you’re doing it with, as opposed to worrying so much about who’s seeing it and what they’re thinking.”

SOAPnet viewers may have been disappointed to see miniseries The Fashionista Diaries take the place of One Live to Live last week, but fans can get excited about this news:

Llanview’s very own Bree Williamson (Jessica Brennan) will appear in the third episode of the program.

Also: starting August 23, Bree will also be starring in Barefoot in the Park at The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport in Northport, NY. It should be a great gig for her.

Here is an update on the status of some of your favorite Days of Our Lives stars...

• Kristian Alfonso (pictured, Hope Brady) has extended her contract through until September 2009.

• Darin Brooks (Max Brady) is on contract through June 2008.

• Farah Fath got out of her contract early and left in March 2007. She'll be moving to One Live to Live and playing Julie Lee in October 2007.

• Drake Hogestyn (John Black) is contracted until January 2008.
  

• Martha Madison (Belle Kiriakis) has renewed her contract for two more years. She'll be on the show July 2009.

• Julie Pinson (Billie Reed) is now on contract until summer 2008.

• Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) renewed his deal through May 2008.

It will be an American Idol reunion on August 24 on The Bold and the Beautiful.

That day, Constantine Maroulis (Constantine Parros) - along with castmates MacKenzie Mauzy (Phoebe Forrester) and Kyle Lowder (Rick Forrester) - will be  joined by former Idol contestant Elliott Yamin. The occasion?

The “Boldface Records” concert on the show. Also performing will be singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin. Should be a fun time!

Miss any of the hot daytime action yesterday? Want to relive it a second time, as it was just that good? Either way, The Soap Dispenser has your back. Check out our recaps of your favorite show(s):

• All My Children
• One Life to Live
• The Bold and the Beautiful
• Guiding Light
• The Young and the Restless
• Days of Our Lives
• General Hospital
• As the Word Turns

Visit The Soap Dispenser each and every day for the latest daytime TV news, views and recaps. We're proud to be your one-stop shop for all soap opera information and gossip from this exciting world. Got a story or idea we missed? Just leave us a comment or use our Contact Us form and let us know!

Tammin Sursok is joining the cast of The Young and the Restless.

The 23-year old actress from Australia talked to The Sunday Telegraph about her good fortune.

"I don't know what was going on but something was going my way.  I was just very lucky," she said. "The whole thing is you get out here and audition, audition, audition and hopefully something sticks.''

Sursok is best known for her portrayal of Dani Sutherland on the Down Under television series, Home and Away.  She stayed with the show until 2004, after which she spent two years auditioning for various parts in Hollywood.

It's finally paid off.

On The Young and the Restless, Sursok plays Colleen Carlton, daughter of Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) and Traci Abbott Connelly (Beth Maitland).  The role previously belonged to Emmy Award winning-actress Adrienne Leon, who was unexpectedly let go from the show in earlier this summer.

Sursok said her character “comes in as a good girl” but then eventually gets involved in some scandals.

“I fall in love with my teacher and then I have an affair with one of the main guys,” she said.

The show does air on the Australian subscription channel, Foxtel, but Sursok's fans from her native land will have to wait until next year to catch her debut on the soap opera.

Tomorrow night on Soapnet, Cameron Mathison hosts the fourth edition of the reality show, I Wanna be a Soap Star.

Ten contestants will compete in a series of challenges for a 13-week contract role on NBC’s Days of our Lives. Not a shabby prize. The judges for the show are:

• Mary Beth Evans, who stars as Kayla Brady Johnson on Days of our Lives
• Hogan Sheffer, the head writer on Days of our Lives
• Michael Bruno, a talent manager who works exclusively in daytime television.

Veteran daytime actors assist the hopefuls with their tasks and auditions. This group includes Linda Dano (Another World, One Life to Live, General Hospital and Port Charles), Alec Musser (pictured here, All My Children and season two winner of I Wanna Be A Soap Star) and James Reynolds (Days of our Lives).

Now, let's meet the contestants!

The ladies:
Ashlee (28, Roanoke, VA), a domestic goddess and daughter of a former Major League Baseball pitcher who is ready to show off her sporty genes.

Jimena (29, Bogota, Colombia), a seasoned actress from Colombia who is eager to break into the soap industry in the United States.

Joyce (34, San Francisco, CA), a strong Asian American women who hopes to diversify daytime television.

Monica (23, Topeka, KS), a girly girl who is ready to put her 14 years of gymnastics and eight years of cheerleading to good use.

Patricia (34, Fayetteville, NC), a well-rounded women who, aside from acting, loves to dance, horseback ride and read inspirational books.

The men:
Corey (23, Camden, NJ), a huge Martin Lawrence fan who has wanted to become a soap opera star for more than 10 years.

Bo (27, Gaithersburg, MD), a sporty guy who can juggle, dance and play 10 musical instruments.

Justin Paul (33, Kendall Park, NJ), a Jersey boy who has learned a great amount about human behavior from his experience working in a tavern, which he hopes to apply in his acting career.

Travis (29, Ottawa, KS), a seasoned actor with a few recurring roles in daytime under his belt, who hopes his persistence and openness to commit to difficult tasks will help him get through the challenges. If all else fails, he can always use his carpentry and woodworking skills to build sets.

Yves (35, Los Angeles, CA), a surfer dude born and raised in Los Angeles, who is ready to put his heart and soul in this competition.

Every few days, Soap Opera Weekly highlights a daytime star to profile.

This week? It focuses on an up and coming actress on The Young and The Restless, Adrienne Frantz. Let's see what this popular publication had to say about the woman that portrays Ambrosia Moore Ashby...

She began performing at a young age, immersing herself in theater, voice and dance lessons while in her hometown of Mount Clemens, Michigan. But she headed east at age 16, enrolling in a Medford, New Jersey high school and pursuing voice and acting lessons in The Big Apple.

While still a freshman in Marymount College, Frantz was chosen to play Tiffany on Aaron Spelling's short-lived series Sunset Beach. It launched a career that next landed Adrienne the the role of sweet, albeitscheming, Ambrosia "Amber" Moore on The Bold and the Beautiful.

The part garnered this star several nominations and awards, including a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actress.

Soon enough, Frantz was starring in other film and TV projecys, including playing eccentric foreign exchange student Fez's girlfriend on the FOX sitcom That 70s Show. Last year, Adrienne took Amber over to The Young and the Restless, where her co-stars have nothing but praise for her:

"Adrienne is such a professional and has that perfect mix of naughty and nice. Her character doesn't always do the right thing, but you root for her anyway," said Daniel Goddard in May in Soap Opera Digest.

She's also a singer! Frantz's rock album, "Anomaly," will be released in the fall of 2007.
Lastly, Adrienne is also committed to the welfare of animals and is involved in various charitable organizations, including PETA, Save The Horses and Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.

Seen here in 2004, Kyle Lowder (Rick, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Arianne Zuker (formerly on Days of Our Lives), who married on August 3, 2002, have split up.

"We are saddened to announce that after five years of marriage we will be amicably parting ways," the couple said in a statement. "This decision has come with great consideration and was not easy for either one of us. We continue to have tremendous respect, admiration, and hold one another in the highest regard.

It's the end of the line for Kyle Lowder and Arianna Zuker as a couple.

We greatly appreciate all of the support we have received from our family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time and are grateful to everyone for respecting our need for privacy and healing as we move forward in this process."

What, you thought we only posted All My Children and The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers? We've got all your favorite soap operas covered.

Here's a look at what's happening As the World Turns this week...

• Noah's father arrives in Oakdale.

• Rosanna wakes up and surprises Paul with her first words.

• It's revealed that Cole is Iris's son.

• Aaron is very protective of Sofie.

• Gwen is shocked to find out that she has a brother.

• In a poker game, Dusty wins Al's Diner.

• Noah's father is happy to hear that Noah has a girlfriend.

• Carly (pictured, below) saves Jack and J.J. and then falls into quicksand.