The Young and the Restless has completed its search for a new Lily Winters. Daytime newcomer Davetta Sherwood will assume the role of Lily when she begins taping episodes of the top-rated CBS soap later this month.
Y&R execs were forced to scramble last year when the Emmy-nominated Christel Khalil (ex-Lily Winters) announced that she would not be re-signing with the show. Until that time, network brass reportedly assumed that the actress would ink a new contract because her agent has mistakenly passed along her intent to do so. To help the show out of a jam and wrap up her character's storyline, Khalil agreed to stick around after her contract expired.
After Lily's exit from Genoa City in September 2005, CBS issued a statement that the role of Lily would be recast. Finding a suitable actress for the role, however, reportedly took the show longer than expected. Last November, Jack Smith, The Young and the Restless' co-executive producer and head writer, announced that there was already a story in place for Lily's return.
Sherwood has guest-starred in primetime series such as Boston Public, Bernie Mac, and My Wife and Kids. She begins taping on January 10th and will first air on February 7.
