While Claire's plot, scheme, nefarious plan -- whatever you want to call it -- still remains something of a mystery, a large chunk of the puzzle was revealed on Friday's episode of The Young and the Restless.
The episode concluded with a surprise appearance by Emmy-nominated soap vet Colleen Zenk in the role of Claire's Aunt Jordan.
Zenk's Y&R role marks a return to soaps for the fan favorite. She is best known to daytime viewers as As the World Turns' Barbara Ryan. After auditioning for several soap operas, including The Edge of Night, Guiding Light, and Search for Tomorrow, Zenk was signed to a contract on ATWT in 1978. She played the role for 32 years, until the show ended in 2010.
Zenk's work on As the World Turns earned her three Daytime Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Lead Actress category. Those nods came in 2001, 2002, and 2011.
Elsewhere in the soap-adjacent world of streaming drama series, Zenk portrayed town madam Agnes Snead in the Western series Thurston, Dr. Robbins in 2018's After Forever, and Sofia DiGiacomo in a supporting role in the behind-the-scenes-of-a-soap series Tainted Dreams.
In addition to her screen work, Zenk has also appeared on stage in numerous productions, including Hello, Dolly!; Stephen Sondheim's Follies; and her one-woman show Colleen Zenk: LIVE.
Zenk has also been extremely vocal in her desire to be a contestant on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
In 2007, Zenk was diagnosed with oral cancer. She partnered with the Oral Cancer Foundation to do additional interviews in print and TV media as well as produce public service TV announcements (PSAs) on the importance of early detection.
The Young and the Restless has not yet revealed how long Zenk will appear on the show.
Were you shocked to see Colleen Zenk appear at the end of Friday's Y&R? What do you think Jordan is up to? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
