‘Young and the Restless’: Ashand Locke Actor Blames COVID Violation – Wife Calls Recast ‘Pathetic’
Young and the Restless ex-Ashland Locke (Richard Burgi) talked about his firing and said it involved COVID quarantine. Based on what was said (see below), we have to wonder if the showrunners or network asked him to reveal this info.
Young and the Restless: Richard Burgi Reveals COVID Quarantine Issue
After the stunning reveal that Richard Burgi was out at Y&R, speculation ran wild. Fans wondered why the handsome actor was leaving the role of Ashland Locke. His initial statement offered no clues. However, his wife, Liliana Lopez, was less shy and said it was the writers’ choice to let him go as Ashland.
Now, Burgi’s come back with additional information. He said over the holiday break, he tested positive for COVID while visiting his 97-year-old mother. He quarantined for the CDC-recommended five days then returned to LA. Upon his return, he tested negative two times for the virus.
However, he says Young and the Restless guidelines are a 10-day quarantine. Burgi said he unintentionally violated the guidelines. So, he seems to be taking the blame for his termination. But this still seems strange given that he abided CDC rules and tested negative. So, is there more to this CBS behind-the-scenes drama?
Because his wife had more to say after her first announcement that the writers axed him. You can see below she called it a “sudden shock”. And Lopez branded the move “pathetic”. And when a fan said Burgi is “way too good” for The Young and the Restless, his wife agreed. She replied, “yes he sure is”.
Ashland Locke Recast on Y&R
Also this week, Robert Newman was confirmed as a recast for Ashland Locke. But, there’s some more chatter surrounding this casting choice on Young and the Restless. First, Burgi was very gracious and wished his replacement luck. He also said Newman would be working with a wonderful scene partner – Amelia Heinle – aka Victoria Newman.
The latest rumor is that the recast actor is a close friend of showrunner and headwriter Josh Griffith. So, is Young and the Restless on an instant-fire basis for misunderstandings about their policy? And did they demand Burgi reveal his private information so the network looked blameless?
The bottom line is that Ashland Locke was a fan-favorite of many Y&R watchers. And Richard Burgi’s a handsome and talented actor. However, the writers dropped the ball by making the Locke Ness Monster a mild-mannered sick guy. Will they do better with Ashland 2.0?
Young and the Restless Casting: Robert Newman’s Ashland Airs in February
Another question is how did Y&R recast Ashland Locke that fast? With the new guy’s air date in February, that means he was likely filming in January. With Burgi’s violation not known until they returned in Jan, that means a stunningly fast casting decision.
If Robert Newman is a pal of the head writer’s, that could explain the rapid-fire hire. Either way, it’s a done deal and there’s a new Ashland coming to Young and the Restless. So, get ready to see the new actor soon. He appeared as Josh Lewis on Guiding Light and was a romantic lead for over ten years on the daytime drama.
You can see his video below. And while Burgi’s shouldering the blame 10% for his axing, don’t forget your soap history. Remember when Y&R abruptly axed Gina Tognoni to make room for Michelle Stafford’s return? And that was a Josh Griffith move… So, was it an uber strict policy move or something else?
In new video Richard Burgi says he unintentionally broke #YR COVID policy but his wife calls it "pathetic"https://t.co/guVMOwuR4z pic.twitter.com/mV0PEEhhm7
— SoapDirt.com (@SoapDirtTV) January 12, 2022
Robert also appeared in General Hospital and Santa Barbara. Burgi wished Robert good luck. He had good things to say about the soap. And he tried to soften his wife’s accusation about the writers. But there’s little doubt that his wife knows the truth about what happened. But if Burgi wants to work in daytime again, taking the blame makes sense.
Burgi said he only has fond memories of Young and the Restless. As usual, CBS daytime has said nothing through official channels about his termination or the Newman recast. Stay tuned to Soap Dirt for more Y&R spoilers and updates.