Y&R's Daisy Escapes, Then Gives Birth! While out celebrating the end of 2010 with Abby, Daniel becomes concerned when he can't reach Jana, who was supposed to be taking Daisy to the hospital because she started having contractions. "It's quite easy to lose track of someone on New Year's Eve," chuckles Michael Graziadei [Daniel].
Meanwhile, Chloe and Kevin are stunned when they encounter an injured Jana, who claims Daisy attacked her, then escaped. (In reality, Jana willingly let Daisy slip away.) Kevin calls Daniel with the bad news. "He's a little freaked out," acknowledges Graziadei. "I mean, this nutcase runs away and she's preggers with his child, but nobody knows where she is."
Since there's no use trying to track Daisy via her ankle monitor (it was deactivated so Jana could drive her to the hospital, then taken off), Daniel decides to search for Daisy himself. It isn't long before he finds Jana's car on the side of the road and Daisy inside. "There is a feeling of relief," says Graziadei. "Now he can try to put things back into motion, as far as getting her into custody and to the hospital, where she should be."
That trip will have to wait because Daisy tells Daniel that the baby is on the way. "He's confronted with having to help deliver this child, which clearly he's never done,"Graziadei chuckles.
As Daisy pushes, she pleads with Daniel to give their family a chance. Graziadei explains, "She's going, 'We can do this together, me and you. Let's run away. Me, you and the baby, we'll raise her. We'll give her a life.' It's crazy talk. In her psychotic little world, she thinks that everything is goin gto work out the way that she planned."
Daniel refuses to even consider that option, which doesn't sit well with Daisy. The baby finally arrives and Daniel holds his daughter for the first time. "I would absolutely say there is a sense of wonderment," notes Graziadei. "I mean, how can one not feel something when you look down upon a baby and you realize that it came from you? You've got to be a heartless bas-tard to not feel anything."
But that emotional moment doesn't last long. Sighs Graziadei, "Daisy hits him over the head and knocks him out."
And then she's gone.
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Comings &Goings
Lauralee Bell [Christine Blair] -- The actress comes back for an indefinite run starting on January 13, 2011.
Christopher Forsyth [Assistant DA] -- Heather's [Eden Reigel] former position is taken over by a new face starting on January 5, 2011.
Melissa Hayden [Agnes] -- As previously reported, GL alum Hayden [ex-Bridget] appears on January 7, 2011. "It was very strange timing, so I hope that the fans will put in their two cents and get me back on the show again," she says. "It was a holiday weekend thing, so I just came in quickly and did my scenes and off I went! It was really lovely to be at a real sounds stage again."
Ellen Greene [Primrose] -- The actress, best known for Little Shop of Horro rs, Pushing Daisies and Heroes makes her Genoa City debut on January 7, 2011, in a storyline where she helps bring joy to Billy &Victoria. In 1998 she appeared on AMC as Winona.
Y&R's Bell Promoted -- Y&R's head writer, Maria Arena Bell, who has also been serving as co-executive producer with Paul Rauch, has been promoted to executive producer. "It's incredible," smiles the scribe, who is also the daughter-in-law to Y&R's co-creator, the late William J. Bell. "We got the three-year renewal, which is such a vote of confidence for the show and the industry in general, and we just celebrated 22 years at No. 1. Now, I havea new deal with the show to continue in my role here and in essence a promotion, so now I'm the sole executive producer and head writer. I'm still working with Paul in the great partnership that we have. Historically, this show has always been a writer-driven show, as we know, so it's a great confidence for me that I was given the title."