Curious about what's taking place this week on Guiding Light? Check out a few spoilers below:
Ellen Wheeler, Executive Producer of Guiding Light, recently spoke with CBS.com about the much-hyped changes that show has undergone:
CBS.com: How did you come up with the idea to take Guiding Light in this direction?
Ellen Wheeler: We've been looking for a while, trying to find what our audience wanted. And, Procter and Gamble Productions did a really good research project on talking to soap opera fans asking them what they love and what they want to see differently. Soap opera fans are so intelligent. They are also very vocal and willing to share with us all the things they love and the things they don't love.
I was lucky because they loved all the things that I loved. They love the fact that we tell serial stories that go on from one day to the next, and they love the characters and their relationships and the history of these stories and they love how the stories interconnect.
They didn't love that because we were limited to a budget sometimes things didn't make sense. You didn't see people go to work or in their house, it took place in the hospital or the restaurant because those were the sets that were up this week. The other day I shot Cassie filling up her car with gasoline. We've never shot someone filling up their car with gas.
As shown below, Olivia Birkelund appears on Guiding Light on March 11. The actress will portray Pheobe, an old flame of Cyrus.
In addition to several Law & Order guest appearance, Birkelund is best known to daytime audiences for her role as Arlene Vaughan, Hayley's (Kelly Ripa) drunken, husband-stealing mom on All My Children.
With the departure of Ricky Paull Goldin imminent, Guiding Light costar Beth Ehlers has written the following email to her fans:
Hello Everyone,
How can we say goodbye to Ricky Paull Goldin?? I know for all of you the idea of Guiding Light without "GUS" is unimaginable. For me the idea of "Harley" without "Gus" is unimaginable! 2008 was supposed to be the year of their reconciliation.
Ricky and I both anticipated those scenes, to finally get the opportunity to fall in love again... for all of you. Obviously, that won't happen now. And it's a tragedy. Please know that I am as saddened, as devastated as all of you. He isn't just the love of Harley's life.
He is my best friend. Please send good wishes his way! And maybe in the future, who knows . . . maybe these two people will meet again.
I can only hope . . .
All my love,
Beth Ehlers
Here's a look at the new opening sequence for Guiding Light.
How do you feel about the show's various changes? Leave a comment. Let us know.
Here are a handful of Guiding Light spoilers for the next few episodes...
Today was the first day of the rest of Guiding Light's life. Or something to that effect.
The long-running soap opera introduced a new set and new overall production format. Here's a review of the changes, courtesy of iF Magazine:
Trying to be hipper, faster and more current in its strorytelling devices, CBS is shaking up a format that has been etched in stone for decades and while it may bring in younger viewers, its going to be shock treatment for older watchers who will be thinking their favorite soap has been hijacked by cable access filmmaking punks featuring shaky camera work, bad lighting and audio that sounds as it came directly from the microphone on the video camera.
That said, theres some good and very bad examples of what is working as they try to accomplish something groundbreaking with its new milieu.
Read the full review now.
A handful of Guiding Light stars rang in yesterday's opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Included in the event were:
Quiet on the Guiding Light set!
Bill Lewis (Daniel Cosgrove) and Ava Peralta (Michelle Ray Smith) are about to make love so sweet it'll cause Dunkin Donuts coffee to seem bitter by comparison...
The following is a letter from Ricky Paull Goldin, who has announced his plans to leave the role of Gus Aitoro on Guiding Light.
To my friends and extended family,
I want you to be one of the first to know that I'm planning on leaving Guiding Light when my contract expires in a couple of weeks. "Gus" has been a huge part of my life and I will really miss portraying him and bringing this character to life for you. My seven years on Guiding Light have been a wonderful experience.
Now it's time for a new adventure, a new chapter in my life. I will especially miss working with Beth Ehlers, since it doesn't get any better than "Gus and Harley."
Thank you! It means so much to me that you have shown your continued love and support for me and the character of "Gus."
I am sure that the powers-that-be at Guiding Light would love to hear from you as well. It is always good to let them know how you feel. That, of course, is your right.
You can write to them at:
Guiding Light
CBS-TV
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019