Inside James Hyde’s Long-Term Stay On The Y&R

The Young and the Restless (Y&R) offered up a brand-new villain in late 2022 who was only supposed to be around for a very short time. Now, that stay in Genoa City has been extended and actor James Hyde couldn’t be happier.

The Young And The Restless – Someone Meaner Than Ashland Locke?

The last time Y&R introduced a ruthless villain with this much fanfare was when the Locke Ness Monster, aka Ashland Locke (first played by Richard Burgi, then Robert Newman) arrived in town to do business with Victor Newman (Amelia Heinle), and check on his wife, Tara Locke (Elizabeth Leiner).

While Ashland did turn out to be a louse who faked cancer and was ready to screw Victoria Newman out of Newman Enterprises, he was nowhere near as scary as people made him out to be. However, the show might have hit paydirt with its latest bad guy, Jeremy Stark.

Stark looks to be the key to Diane Jenkins’ (Susan Walters) past and it’s often hard to see who is playing who more in their scenes together. Jeremy was supposed to come and go over the course of just a few short months, but now that has changed and Jeremy will be sticking around for the foreseeable future.

Y&R Spoilers – Jeremy Stark Has An Agenda

“My social media has been going bananas and I love the response I’m getting,” Hyde told Soap Opera Digest, referring to the news that he is not going anywhere. “Soap fans are so loyal and they remember me from Passions, and even from Another World [ex-Neil] and As the World Turns [ex-Liam]. People seem to be loving the character of Jeremy and how he’s stirring things up and I couldn’t be more grateful for their support and love.”

Jeremy has definitely shaken things up in town as people cower in fear over him, but Hyde is doing everything he can to make the character sustainable.

“At first, Jeremy told Diane that he wanted his money back, but when Jack offered him a big amount to leave Genoa City, Jeremy didn’t take it, so that tells me he’s there for a reason,” Hyde told Digest. “I know I’ve got stuff still coming up but after that, there’s nothing guaranteed. Every time I get a new script, it just keeps getting better and better. All I can say is that I worked really hard on Jeremy and working with such great people has only elevated the character. So, for now, I’m just enjoying the ride.”

Stay tuned to The Young and the Restless weekdays to see what life Jeremy tries to ruin next.