'Young and the Restless' to Pay Tribute to Late Star Kristoff St. John

Actor Kristoff St. John will be remembered in an upcoming episode of The Young and the Restless. The CBS soap opera, on which St. John starred as the struggling alcoholic and ladies man Neil Winters for nearly three decades before his 2018 passing, is set to pay tribute to the late actor in a remembrance episode to air on Friday, May 28.

According to PEOPLE, which obtained first-look images, the episode will follow Neil's children Lily, Devon, and Moses as they "plan a walking tour in Genoa City featuring sights and sounds from Neil's past." Several of Neil's friends will participate in the tour, including Victor and Nikki Newman, Nick Newman, Jack Abbott, Ashley Abbott, and Neil's nephew, Dr. Nate Hastings. The episode will include flashbacks of St. John, who initially joined the series in 1991 and appeared on the soap for 27 years as Neil, a role that earned him 10 NAACP Image Awards, nine Daytime Emmy nominations, and, in 1992, a Daytime Emmy for outstanding younger actor in a drama series.

The episode will air more than two years after St. John's tragic passing. The actor passed away Feb. 3, 2019, from hypertrophic heart disease by way of alcohol abuse at the age of 52. His death was officially ruled an accident by the Los Angeles County coroner's office, and he was laid to rest next to the grave of his son Julian St. John, who died in 2014, in March 2019. The CBS soap mourned his loss in a statement at the time.

"The news of Kristoff St. John's passing is heartbreaking. He was a very talented actor and an even better person," the statement read. "For those of us who were fortunate enough to work with him on The Young and the Restless for the last 27 years, he was a beloved friend whose smile and infectious laugh made every day on set a joy and made audiences love him. On behalf of the Y&R cast and crew, CBS and Sony Pictures Television, we offer our heartfelt sympathy to his family and loved ones."

Following his death, The Young and the Restless ran a four-episode story arc that brought together much of the cast, including returning alumni Christel Khalil, Eileen Davidson, and Shemar Moore, who portrayed Neil Winters' half-brother Malcolm Winters until his exit in 2014. The show also aired a special that paid tribute to St. John that featured clips from the late actor's time on the soap opera as well as current and former cast members sharing memories of him.