First Diane, now Kyle! Michael Mealor heads back to Y&R

First Diane, now Kyle! Michael Mealor heads back to Y&R

Kyle Abbott is heading back to Genoa City, and not just for a quick visit. Portrayer Michael Mealor is making a long-term comeback to The Young and the Restless, which coincides with his on-screen mother returning from the dead!

Remember the scene in Risky Business in which Tom Cruise slides into the frame, dancing to "Old Time Rock and Roll"? Picture that when you read this next sentence: Michael Mealor is bringing Kyle Abbott back to The Young and the Restless!

Soap Opera Digest reports that the actor has inked a new deal with the CBS soap opera, and the even better news is that he has signed up to return long-term!

The exciting casting news comes hot on the heels of the surprise return of Kyle's previously presumed dead mother, Diane Jenkins. Actress Susan Walters, unexpectedly appeared in the March 23 episode of the drama series, and now that Diane is back, there's no doubt Kyle will want to reunite with the mother he thought he had lost.

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Mealor took over the role of Y&R's Kyle in 2018 and played the character until 2021, at which point he and his on-screen partner, Hunter King (Summer Newman), were written off the canvas in a story that had their Genoa City alter egos moving to Italy. The two briefly reprised their roles as Kyle and Summer last October for Ashland (then Richard Burgi) and Victoria's (Amelia Heinle) Tuscan wedding, where the characters announced their own nuptials to their friends and family.

At this time, it's unclear how Y&R plans to reintroduce Kyle back to the canvas and whether or not he'll be coming back to Genoa City alone or with his wife. King has made several solo appearances in recent months, including a surprise return in February, but rumor has it she is unavailable to return full-time, and the soap has been searching for a new actress to take on the role of Summer. Keep checking back to Soap Central for updates as they come!

How do you feel about the news that Michael Mealor is making a long-term return to Y&R? Do you think he'll come back with or without Summer? What do you hope is on the horizon for Kyle now that his mother is back from the dead? 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.

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