CBS’s The Young and the Restless has stirred up a hornet’s nest of fan fury with the firing of Doug Davidson (Paul Williams) on Monday, and most of the fans’ ire is being directed at executive producer/writer, and Daytime Emmy Award winner, Mal Young.
Young is under fire from within the ranks as well, with legendary actor and Y&R figurehead Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) retweeting fans’ angry comments about Davidson’s firing.
So who is the man at the center of one of Y&R’s most virulent firestorms?
Prior to The Young and the Restless, Young had an illustrious career producing British television shows including Doctor Who and the long-running soap opera EastEnders. He is married to singer Mari Wilson.
The gauntlet has been thrown. Mal Young is intent on destroying this show (and if were being honest, he’s doing a spectacular job of that). #firemalyoung
— gary garletts jr (@gman15431) September 11, 2018
The 61-year-old Liverpool native took the helm at The Young and the Restless at the start of 2016 and controversy has been his sidekick from the start. After his hiring, then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps was fired in June 2016. Young immediately took over, with his first episode as executive producer airing in mid-July.
At the end of July, it was announced that Y&R writers Kay Alden and Sally Sussman Morina were leaving, and Mal Young was immediately installed as the new head writer.
Most recently, fans were disenchanted with the departure of longtime stars Mishael Morgan (Hilary) and Eileen Davidson (Ashley), but this week’s announcement regarding the firing of Davidson was the final straw.
No one cares about this new family being brought to the show. Focus on the veterans and stop dismantling the core families. I don’t even know what show this is anymore! #FireMalYoung
— Amy (@amyholcombe31) September 9, 2018
Seething fans immediately posted online petitions calling for Young’s ousting. Fanning the flames of fan discontent is his decision to bring in a new core family, the Latin Rosales’, to the canvas, seemingly to replace veteran actors who are either leaving or being given diminished airtime.
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays during the day on CBS and in the evening on PopTV.