Will Y&R/B&B Air New Episodes on Friday (December 26)?
As the holiday season rolls around, CBS once again leans into tradition by giving soap fans a festive mix of nostalgia and anticipation. Every year around Christmas, viewers of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful expect schedule changes, and this season is no different. Instead of brand-new episodes on Christmas Day, CBS opts to revisit memorable holiday moments from the past, creating a cozy throwback experience while giving the current storylines a brief pause. Naturally, this leaves fans asking the same big question: what exactly is airing, and when will fresh episodes return?
On Christmas Day, CBS fills its daytime lineup with reruns that tap into classic soap history. For many longtime viewers, this has become part of the holiday ritual—settling in with familiar faces, iconic scenes, and storylines that still resonate years later. It’s a comforting reminder of why these shows have remained staples for decades. But while the nostalgia is enjoyable, most fans are eager to know how long the wait for new drama will last.
For The Young and the Restless, CBS reaches back into its archives to pull out a standout holiday episode from 2010. This particular installment centers on Victor Newman and delivers the show’s own spin on A Christmas Carol. In the episode, Victor is forced to reflect on his past actions, confront old regrets, and consider the impact he’s had on the people around him. The story was designed to humble him and encourage growth, though true to Victor’s character, any emotional breakthrough comes with limits. He may show vulnerability, but he remains stubbornly set in his ways, making the episode both touching and true to form.
Meanwhile, The Bold and the Beautiful takes a slightly different approach by revisiting a more recent Christmas episode from the previous year. Rather than focusing on distant history, the rerun highlights unresolved tensions that were very much alive at the time. While the Foresters and Logans attempted to embrace the holiday spirit, underlying conflicts—particularly those tied to corporate power struggles—kept the celebration from being entirely joyful. The result was a Christmas episode filled with warmth on the surface, but complicated emotions simmering underneath.
These holiday reruns are scheduled to air on Thursday, December 25th, giving fans a full day of festive soap content. But once Christmas Day passes, CBS wastes no time getting back to the present. On Friday, December 26th, both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful return with brand-new episodes, picking up right where they left off before the holiday break.
Over on The Young and the Restless, the drama resumes immediately. Sally is poised to share crucial information with Jack and Billy, which could provide the Abbott family with a much-needed advantage during a difficult time. This development has the potential to shift power dynamics and set new plans in motion. At the same time, Michael turns to Lauren for support as he wrestles with a major decision, highlighting the emotional weight of his current situation. Adding to the tension, Chelsea closes out the year by confronting Adam with a serious ultimatum—one that could dramatically alter their relationship and force Adam to make a choice he can no longer avoid.
The Bold and the Beautiful also delivers a fresh episode on Friday, keeping the momentum going despite the recent holiday pause. While traces of the Christmas spirit linger, the storyline quickly returns to personal and family conflicts. Steffy and Finn head to Will’s beach house to celebrate the season with Electra and Dylan, offering a lighter, more relaxed setting—at least on the surface. Meanwhile, Donna steps in as a peacemaker, attempting to ease the growing tension between Brooke and Katie. With Katie’s fashion venture continuing to shake things up, maintaining sisterly harmony proves more challenging than ever.
All signs point to an eventful end to the year for both shows. The brief holiday reruns provide a nostalgic break, but the return of new episodes on December 26th ensures that the drama doesn’t lose steam. Fans can enjoy the comfort of classic episodes while knowing that fresh twists, confrontations, and emotional moments are just around the corner.
So, the answer is clear: yes, both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful will air new episodes on Friday, December 26th. After soaking in a little holiday nostalgia, viewers can settle back in for the final stretch of the year, with plenty of storylines ready to unfold and no shortage of drama ahead.