Iconic Soap Opera Fires Entire Breakdown Writing Staff

The Young and the Restless writing room has become a party of one. On the heels of the daytime soap opera's 50th anniversary, multiple outlets, including The Wrap, reports that co-executive producer and head writer, Josh Griffith, fired all five writers on the show. Instead of hiring replacements, he intends to do the job himself. The job consists of comprising storyline and dialogue. It seems like a massive undertaking for one person. But if anyone if familiar with Tyler Perry, they know the media mogul is infamous for not having a writer's room, and he pens all scripts for his television, film, and plays himself. Griffith is following Perry's model.

A source close to the soap says the decision comes amid contentious contract negotiations. "The timing of the firings is suspect given that WGA negotiations were coming up and the show is celebrating a major milestone with its 50th anniversary," the source said. "Even more brutal is that four of the five writers of the breakdown staff are all women, one of them being African-American, who was hired with the intended purpose of expanding diversity behind the scenes per CBS' directive."

Sony Pictures Television recently gave Griffith's co-executive producer, Anthony Morina, the axe. The company produces the soaps, and they air on CBS. 

Another source stated: "There was some restructuring of the writers staff to streamline the creative process. It was based on what made sense for the show creatively and mirrors the structure at other soaps."

"We understand the industry is going through transition but it's a slap in the face for five hardworking writers to be fired so the co-EP and head writer can write the breakdowns and line his pockets with more residuals," a writer from another daytime drama noted of the drastic change. "Soap writers have long felt shafted by WGA, and this doesn't help matters."