The New 90210

In the May 26 issue of TV Guide — on sale this week — Michael Logan ran an interview with Finola Hughes, aka Anna Devane on ABC's GENERAL HOSPITAL, about her upcoming guest stint on CBS' THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. But just after that issue went to press, execs at ABC and GH had a collective cow over Hughes's temporary defection and pressured the actress to drop out of the Y&R role. ABC has now issued the following statement: "GENERAL HOSPITAL always planned a big summer storyline revolving around the characters of Anna Devane and Robin Scorpio as the mother-daughter relationship continues to grow in the face of Robin becoming a mother for the first time. Upon learning Finola Hughes had booked a role in a short story arc on a competing daytime drama, GENERAL HOSPITAL requested that she honor her commitment to our show, and she graciously obliged." Y&R had set Hughes for a four-episode appearance as Zara, the flirty, opportunistic mother of Sabrina (played by Raya Meddine). The character is due to arrive in Genoa City June 19, just in time for Sabrina's wedding to mega-mogul Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). Word is, the powers at the CBS-Sony soap are furious that their big casting coup was squelched and that Hughes caved in to ABC. A Y&R rep insists the deal with Hughes was signed and sealed — otherwise she wouldn't have been allowed to get on the phone with me to discuss the role (the "exclusive" was set up by a show publicist). Hughes herself told me that there was no scheduling conflict with the two soaps, and that she is not currently under contract to GH (as a free agent, she also hosts Style's How Do I Look?). Y&R exec producer Josh Griffith is refusing to discuss the situation, choosing instead to send out this statement: "We think Finola is an exceptional actress. We're sorry things didn't work out, and we'd love to work with her in the future." Y&R has yet to replace Hughes, who was due to begin taping May 28. Here's what the actress told me about the character: "Expect fireworks. Zara is quite the troublemaker and has a very complicated relationship with Sabrina. She deserted her daughter for years, leaving her in boarding schools while she flitted off to live her own life. Now she's back and thrilled that Sabrina is marrying a billionaire."