As the World Turns
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In a dramatic example of art imitating life, Colleen Zenk-Pinter's character of Barbara will soon receive the same news the actress dealt with earlier this year:

A cancer diagnosis.

The bad news will hit Barbara on the January 2 episode of As the World Turns, the same day she's banned from the baptism of her grandchild.

"She's all alone and desperate when she gets the diagnosis," Pinter told TV Guide. "She ends up at the church after the christening, praying for help. Let me tell ya, that was a tough scene to get through."

How will this story play out? "Hard to tell because of the writers' strike," the actress added. "But I told [executive producer, Chris Goutman], 'This cancer can be a real killer, so don't let Barbara ignore it too long. I need my job!'"

Coming up this week, on As the World Turns...

• Meg fears that Craig is up to no good.

• Vienna tries to get Katie and Brad back on track.

• Emily issues Dusty a stern warning.

• Sofie makes a decision about the future of her baby.

• Ali pushes Aaron (Agim Kaba, pictured) away.

Take a look at a handful of As the World Turns spoilers for the week ahead:

• Katie plants a kiss on Brad.

• Dusty believes Chris (Dylan Bruce, pictured) has something to hide.

• Sofie goes in labor and Gwen and Will spring into action

• Rosanna's ruse is exposed.

• Luke and Noah (Jake Silbermann) make Christmas plans together.

Chaunteé Schuler is new to the world of soap operas - and TV, in general.

Her role as Bonnie McKechnie marks the actress' first foray into scripted television. Schuler says that Bonnie's return signifies a new beginning for the character on As the World Turns, as she's now equipped with more wisdom and maturity.

“They will learn a little bit [about what Bonnie's been doing since she left Oakdale] but Bonnie returning is her way of starting a new chapter in her life," Schuler recently teased. "There have been a lot of things that have happened that have been tough for her.  She returns to have a fresh start."

As loyal As the World Turns fans know, Bonnie left Oakdale to live in Florida following Isaac's proposal. While she was away, she earned a law degree, married and then divorced Isaac.  Four years later, she's returned to enter into practice with her mother.

Without giving away too many show spoilers, Schuler reveals the attempt to start a new chapter in Bonnie's life coincides with a love interest in the near future.  So far, Bonnie and Holden have hit it off well, but Schuler remains uncertain of what's in store for her character's love life.

“We're not sure. Bonnie comes back to town kind of lonely. She has her cousin Dallas [Wole Parks] who acts as a confidant, but Bonnie is really trying to concentration on work and getting herself back on her feet… Viewers will just have to wait and see,” she said.

Here are a few spoilers regarding upcoming As the World Turns episodes...

• Katie is enraged when Carly tries to interfere with her plans.

• Desperate to keep her secret, Rosanna succumbs to blackmail demands.

• Barbara (Colleen Zenk Pinter, pictured) pays the consequences for her actions.

• Lily (Martha Byrne) urges Dusty to forget his feelings for Emily.

• Vienna surprises Henry.

Take a look at the following As the World Turns spoilers for the week....

• A potential moment for Katie and Jack is ruined by Carly's call for help.

• Luke is frustrated with Noah's behavior.

• Alison (Marnie Schulenburg, pictured) puts the pieces together and prepares to tell Gwen the truth.

• Craig (Scott Bryce) questions Meg.

• Bob puts an unhappy Chris in his place.

There's still one more As the World Turns episode left this week. But here's a glance ahead...

• Brad gets what he deserves from Katie.

• Luke (Van Hansis, pictured) gets out of his wheelchair.

• Carly begins an interesting partnership.

• The Snyders carve the Hubbard squash.

The following As the world Turns spoiler was taken from the show's message board, without a source cited, so take it with a grain of salt:

Look for the character of Simon Frasier (Paul Leyden, pictured) to reappear in late December. While bo official air date has been released, Simon is reportedly coming back to admit his wrongdoings and face the consequences of his actions.

From there, he won't be able to decide which woman he wants to be wit: Carly or Katie. But do they even want him back?

What do you think of this rumor? Let us know now in our As the World Turns forum.

Here are a few As the World Turns spoilers to whet your soap opera appetite...

• Rosanna's little slip up puts Carly in hot water.

• Meg is shocked at the paternity of her baby.

• Cole gives Sofie a harsh ultimatum.

• Noah is overjoyed when Luke (Van Hansis, pictured) gets feeling in his legs.

What's coming up on As the World Turns? We're glad you asked! Check out the following soap opera spoilers for this series...

• Lily (Martha Byrne) begs Carly to tell Jack the truth before it's too late.

• Katie (Terri Colombino, pictured) gets the information she's been looking for.

• Sofie makes a decision about her baby.

• As Meg prepares to learn the paternity of her baby, Rosanna keeps a close watch.

• Dusty tries to win back Emily.