POZ Event: Third Annual AIDS Walk New York Fund-Raiser

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Martha Byrne's replacement has been hired and it is a "name" actress who didn't even have to screen test. They are not giving out her name yet because Martha had not taped her last scenes yet when the magazine went to print. Noelle Beck and Susan Haskell are the names that have most frequently been rumored.

Noelle Beck Is The New Lily Snyder on ATWT

TV Guide Canada's "The Nelson Ratings: March 24, 2008" Last week’s soap reviews, this week’s viewing cheat sheet, and top-rated actors! 1 EASTENDERS finally bids farewell to Frank Butcher A wreath poignantly spells out his name as EASTENDERS bids farewell to Frank Butcher - played by the late Mike Reid. Stars wept during filming, which comes after the death of Mike, 67, in Spain last July. Ex-stars such as Sid Owen and Sophie Lawrence, who played his kids Ricky and Diane, returned for the scenes. EASTENDERS triumphs in soap awards EASTENDERS has beaten its ITV rival CORONATION STREET to Best Soap. The inaugural Digital Spy Soap Awards also saw Hollyoaks star James Sutton (John Paul McQueen) named Most Popular Actor and EastEnders' Jo Joyner (Tanya Branning) Most Popular Actress. BBC soap EASTENDERS triumphed in seven of the 14 categories voted for by Digital Spy members. Its awards including Best Single Episode, for Phil and Stella's wedding. EASTENDERS executive producer Diederick Santer said of the Best Soap gong: "Winning this award is lovely." HOLLYOAKS bagged five gongs, including Storyline of the Year for John Paul and Craig's gay affair. HOLLYOAKS producer Bryan Kirkwood said: "Soaps are all about storylines and without them there are no soaps, so it's a huge honour to win this award - and thanks to everyone who voted." CORONATION STREET bagged just one accolade, with Jack P Shepherd taking Villain of the Year for his role as Weatherfield's evil David Platt. Long-running police drama THE BILL was named Best Serial Drama. EASTENDERS coffin scene provokes audience complaints More than 100 viewers have complained to the BBC after a scene in EASTENDERS in which a character was buried alive. The scene in question showed Max Branning (Jake Wood) being drugged by his wife Tanya (Jo Joyner) and put into a grave dug by her lover Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) and has provoked viewers' ire after being shown before the 21:00 GMT watershed. The episode, which was shown on Friday at 20:00 GMT, has prompted 167 complaints from audience members upset at the scene's potential to upset children watching. "25 artists that still embarrass us" has GH connection A list of the "the bands and artists from the '80s that we never dare to admit we once liked -- and maybe still do." 14. Rick Springfield: You better love somebody. Preferably not a soap star. 5. Christopher Cross: When one of your signature songs is forever associated with Luke, Laura and General Hospital, you're lucky you're only No. 5 on this list. Jerry Remy, color commentator for Red Sox games, is a DAYS fan "I've been a Days of our Lives fan for 30 years. It's like a family thing, with everyone in the family hooked on it. I don't watch as much as I used to." Gay Male Character on GOSSIP GIRL? According to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello: "I'm hearing from an extremely reliable source that a male character on GOSSIP GIRL will be revealed to be of the gay persuasion when the show returns on April 21. Who? Can't say. Won't say. It's too good a surprise. I will, however, offer five tantalizing clues. • The revelation significantly impacts the lives of at least three people. • The aftershocks will be felt on both sides of the East River. • Some viewers will be surprised by the twist, others not so much. • In the Gossip Girl novels, Dan was known to be a bit of a switch hitter — which isn't so much a clue as it is a fact. A misleading fact? Perhaps. Perhaps not." • In the Gossip Girl novels, Dan was known to be a bit of a switch hitter — which isn't so much a clue as it is a fact. A misleading fact? Perhaps. Perhaps not." VIDEO: Episode #7 of HORRIBLE PEOPLE In the latest episode of this twisted soap, Arturro tries to cockblock Michael and his turkey baster, while Amanda pushes Rex towards the grave.

Flashback: Noelle Beck on Loving 1992

1 Emmy-nominated Noelle Beck, best known to daytime audiences as Trisha Alden McKenzie on LOVING, has been cast as Martha Byrne's replacement on AS THE WORLD TURNS. Byrne, who taped her last scenes as Lily Walsh Snyder on March 14, chose to leave the show after Proctor & Gamble would not meet her contract demands. She talked about the reason she left in a chat with fans two days later: "I made a request to work at least the same number of shows that I was in last year and was told NO. That day is when the recast call went out." Beck, who was recently seen in an episode of CASHMERE MAFIA, returns to daytime for the first time since 1995. Soap Opera Digest interviewed her a few years ago and asked about a return to soaps: "I think I would if the right role came along. It's a wonderful job for a working mother. In my career, it's hard to find a job that lasts for more than three or four months. Or if you're lucky enough to get a nighttime series, which I've been, they haven't lasted. So you get all excited, and make the move with your family, then you're at the mercy of the networks. The soaps tend to stay around longer than a lot of the nighttime series anyway." Beck and Susan Haskell were the most rumored actresses to land the role fo ATWT's central heroine. Due to the fact that this will be a difficult situation for any actress, to replace a long time fan favorite, Beck is about as good a choice as ATWT could have made. No first airdate has been announced.

Flashback: 1989 Emmys - McCullough Beats Both Beck and Byrne

Noelle Beck should fit right in on AS THE WORLD TURNS playing the oft-kidnapped Lily.