What do you get when you ask two longtime friends who just happen to be huge soap stars to chat with some of daytime’s biggest stars… and let you listen in? We’ll all find out when Soapy — a new series hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart — debuts next month.
You’d be hard-pressed to find hosts who’ve got better connections that Budig and Rikaart. She’s currently playing Bold & Beautiful’s Taylor, but has also appeared on All My Children, General Hospital and Guiding Light. He, meanwhile, is currently doing double-duty on Young & Restless (as Kevin) and Days of Our Lives (as Leo).
Need proof of just how connected these two are? Their first guests include iconic performers like Deidre Hall (Marlena, Days of Our Lives) and Eric Braeden (Victor, Young & Restless). Proving the show is for true soap fans, they’ll also talk to folks who work behind the scenes to bring the shows to life, including Sheila Ducksworth, the executive producer who helped take Beyond the Gates from idea to reality.
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But make no mistake: Perhaps the best reason to tune in is the hosts themselves. As longtime friends (and one-time neighbors!), they banter like… well, like only longtime friends can! “We decided that since we know each other so well,” says Budig in the preview — which you can check out in its entirety below — “that we decided that we should interview all the people that we know, and people that we don’t know.”
The goal, added Rikaart, is to “celebrate our genre, coming from a place of love and reverence and respect for the incredibly challenging and hard and fun work that we get to do.”
Look for the new series to launch on Tuesday, July 8 with new episodes dropping weekly through mid-September. Upcoming guests include Maurice Benard (Sonny, General Hospital), Heather Tom (Katie, Bold & Beautiful), Karla Mosley (Dani, Beyond the Gates) and Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry. That’s right, the series will cover primetime soaps as well!
