Engen stalled; Driscoll done

The economic woes of the country continue to have trickle down to daytime television, and apparently CBS isn’t quite finished tightening its purse strings. Hot on the heels of the ouster of Y&R's legendary soap hunk Don Diamont comes word that the ratings leader is also letting 2008 Hunkiest Newcomer nominee Chris Engen go, along with Vail Bloom and Michael Gross.

Over at GL, sexy John Driscoll, nominated for Hunkiest Newcomer in 2004, has reportedly been given the pink slip. The exit is rumored to be permanent for his character, “Coop” Bradshaw. E.J. Bonilla and Kane Manera are also out, along with Bonnie Dennison and Caitlin Van Zant.

Soapy in mourning: Diamont out at Y&R

Anyone who knows me knows how it pains me to type this one. Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Y&R's Don Diamont has been ousted from daytime's No. 1 soap. Details of his exit are said to be very "hush hush" at this time.

Diamont has been with the sudser for over 20 years. He first aired in 1985, after a two-year run on DAYS. He stayed with the show until 1996, returning in 1998 through now. During his tenure, Diamont has amassed 25 Soaphunks.net Award nominations and eight wins. In addition, in a 2005 poll at this site, he was named the Sexiest Soap Hunk of All Time.

If you didn't already know it, Diamont is personally my all-time favorite soap hunk, and the primary reason I created soaphunks.net a decade ago was to share and collect pictures of him.

Sigh.