CBS is launching a soap opera podcast that will be hosted by Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful stars, Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart. Both have become synonymous with the soap scene, with key roles in prominent soaps. Budig has a strong background in soap operas, having had contracted roles in All My Children and General Hospital. Since 2024, she has appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful as Taylor Hayes. Rikaart is best-known for playing Kevin Fisher in The Young and the Restless since 2003, and Leo Stark in Days of Our Lives since 2022.
Per Deadline, the two veterans of daytime TV will front a new podcast called Soapy, which will deep dive into the legacy and fandom of soap operas. It will shine a light on modern soap operas, as well as classic ones, and will feature appearances from some of the leading names in American soaps. Upcoming episodes will feature stars including Maurice Benard, Scott Clifton, Tracey Bregman, Christian LeBlanc, Melody Thomas Scott, and Eva LaRue.
What This Means For The Soapy’s Chances Of Success
The Podcast Could Help Bring Soaps & Fans Closer Together
Soap operas have become such an integral part of the fabric of American popular culture that it is surprising a prominent podcast such as Soapy has not been produced in the past. Having two seasoned genre legends like Rikaart and Budig fronting the podcast is a great way of being able to connect better with fans, and provide a fun peek behind the curtain at the inner workings of soap operas. Being able to get guests from a range of different soaps on the podcast each week is another great way of being able to connect with fans.
It can become the centerpoint for the entire soap community, and is a great way of generating positive publicity for soap operas, as well as bringing fans together in one space to discuss all things ‘soap’ related. Fans looking to listen to the podcast episodes can find them on Audacy, whilst full episodes will stream weekly on the CBS YouTube channel, making them accessible to fans everywhere. With The Young and the Restless legend Eric Braeden as the first guest, the show is starting off strong, and there will be hopes that it can attract a large audience.
Our Take On Soapy’s Potential Success
The Podcast Should Be A Huge Hit
Given the enormous fan base that soap operas have, there is a good chance that Soapy will be a huge hit with viewers. All the pieces are in place to bring plenty of listeners to the podcast, and it means that soap fans can get their fix of the latest happenings on The Bold and the Beautiful or Days of Our Lives, even when they aren’t airing on TV. How long the podcast is likely to run for is unclear at this stage, but Soapy should be a runaway success for CBS.
