When Is Gina Tognoni Leaving ‘Y&R’ and Michelle Stafford Coming Back to ‘Young and the Restless’?

Everyone is very concerned about when is Phyllis Abbott leaving Young and the Restless. But Gina Tognoni is exiting as Michelle Stafford returns to Y&R. So, rest assured it’s an actress swap as the character stays put. It’s a pretty desperate time for Phyllis Abbott on the CBS soap. She’s got no job, no man in her life, and is the town pariah of Genoa City. So, it looks like Phyllis hits rock bottom right as the actresses transition. Here’s the latest info.

When is Gina Tognoni Leaving Y&R?

Young and the Restless fans are divided on this swap of Phyllis Abbott portrayers. Some are thrilled Michelle Stafford is back. Others think that Gina Tognoni was done dirty and were upset. No matter how you feel, it’s a done deal. In fact, Gina Tognoni is off the set and done filming at the soap.

That brings up the most important question. When is Gina Tognoni’s last airdate as Phyllis Summers Abbott? Gina shared on her Instagram that last week (the week of April 29-May 3) was her last week on set. That places Gina Tognoni’s final airdate around the end of May or possibly early June 2019 on Young and the Restless.

When Does Michelle Stafford Return to Young and the Restless?

Viewers last saw Michelle Stafford as Phyllis back in late Summer 2013 although her last day of shooting was in June 2013. It was a year later when Gina Tognoni showed up as Phyllis Abbott woke from her coma. Stafford was in the role from 1994 and so it was hard for fans to watch her leave and head over to General Hospital.

When will Michelle Stafford be back to Y&R? Well, checking out her Instagram, it’s clear that she’s still on the GH set shooting there. So, fans have to wait a bit longer it seems. Her contract with the ABC soap ends this month (May 2019). That means it’ll be June before she can start scenes at CBS. That means Michelle Stafford’s first air date at Young and the Restless will be July 2019 at the earliest, by all reports.

Phyllis Leaving Y&R to Allow Actress Transition

The last time the show swapped Phyllis Abbott actresses, they had a year to plan and a coma to facilitate. This time, things are not so smooth. That means writers will likely have to remove her from the character canvas briefly. Fans are already asking if, when and why is Phyllis exiting Young and the Restless?

As of now, Phyllis Abbott could run out of town to get away from all her troubles. Hopefully, Y&R won’t knock her into a coma again. Phyllis scheming to get back into Jabot sees little success. Rivals thwart her at every turn. Then, the CBS sudser could exit her to Europe for a much-needed vacation.

Alternately, she could have a breakdown and head off to the local mental health facility for a time-out to pull herself together. One thing is certain. When Michelle Stafford is back as Phyllis Abbott, she’ll have lots of options. Nick and Jack are both single. Billy’s off the market, but there’s a new Adam in town by then too. So, let’s wait and see what happens.

Enjoy all the hot Young and the Restless news at Soap Dirt.