This week will be a very emotional one for fans of The Young and the Restless and Kristoff St. John. This is the week that the CBS sudser will address the real-life passing of St. John, who debuted as Neil Winters in 1991.
Kristoff St. John passed away on February 3, 2019, at the age of 52. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner stated that the popular actor died from hypertrophic heart disease, and other contributing factors of St. John’s death included alcohol. His death was ruled an accident.
According to Soap Opera Digest, the show wanted to present an emotional storyline deserving of the legendary star. The show’s storyline addresses St. John’s sudden and tragic death and begins when Neil’s loved ones learn of his unexpected death. In response, his family and friends gather together to mourn and reminisce about the patriarch of the Winters clan.
Head writer Josh Griffith said, “I owed him an emotional story. Because of that, writing it was an integral part of the grieving process. Pretty much everybody who was a significant part of Neil’s life is there, as they should be.”
He added that The Young and the Restless was careful to provide the time and proper respect that the character deserves, and thinks the audience will be satisfied with how the situation is handled.
Malcolm (Shemar Moore) delivers the eulogy for Neil. He said that “literally word for word, it sounds like something I would say, it sounds like something I would write.”
On Monday, April 29, the show will air a tribute to Kristoff St. John in which actors both past and present will share their memories of the beloved co-star. In addition to Moore, former Y&R stars Victoria Rowell (Drucilla) and Mishael Morgan (Hilary) will speak.
Soap fans last saw Moore in September 2014. Rowell was a fan fave from 1990-2007, and Morgan starred on Y&R from 2013-2018.
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS.