Lee Phillip Bell, co-creator of classic daytime soap operas “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” has died at the age of 91.
Bell was an accomplished broadcast journalist and talk show host, her husband William created two of the world’s most prominent soap operas, which have run continuously for over 47 years, and aired more than 20,000 combined episodes.
The news was confirmed by her children via a statement on Wednesday night.
They said: “Our mother was a loving and supportive wife, mother and grandmother. Gracious and kind, she enriched the lives of all who knew her. We will miss her tremendously,”
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Bell hosted the Lee Phillip Show for more than 30 years, where she interviewed presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, as well as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
Along with her children, she is also survived by her daughters-in-law Maria Arena Bell and Ambassador Colleen Bell, her son-in-law Scott Martin, and eight grandchildren.
Veteran cast member of The Young and the Restless, Melody Thomas Scott, described Bell as “a true matriarch”.
“A television pioneer and powerhouse in her own right, she elevated daytime television,” Scott said, who has played the role of Nikki Newman since 1981.
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