Where were you when you found out about the nominations?
Bradley Bell: We were all in the conference room, all the producers and all the staff. We decided to all meet at 8 'o clock and watch it [The View]. We were thrilled. We called Susan (Flannery, Stephanie) and she was in the car on the way down [to the studio], we called Adrienne (Amber) and Jennifer (Bridget) and everyone else. It's an exciting time. It's the first time we've ever been nominated for Best Show. The first [nomination] we heard was Adrienne and Jennifer, so that was exciting, to have the two of them go head to head. Then Susan, Best Show and then the rest of them.

“I think having talented actors like Susan Flannery and Joseph Mascolo puts other actors who are involved with them, like Ronn Moss, to the test.”

Q: “B&B has always played its veterans and hung onto them, too. What are the benefits of that”?
Bell: “Veteran characters are able to evoke emotions from viewers that you could never get from newer characters. The simple looks or words that Susan Flannery´s Stephanie can say to John McCook´s Eric are wonderful. It's amazing how they still catch me by surprise. I've spent so many hours and years watching them. They really pull at your heartstrings. Newer actors and characters — no matter how fine they may be — can't pull it off the way that actors and characters that have history can”.

Q: “Stephanie's need to hang onto Eric has been such a staple since B&B's inception. To have her be the one to tell Eric that it's over was compelling”.
Bell: “Stephanie has been loyal to Eric through so many indiscretions over the years, but she knew deep down that he put their children first. That enabled Stephanie to forgive so much. But now Stephanie feels that Eric turned his back on Ridge by voting him out of the company. That was the straw that broke her back. She said, "I can't look at you again the same way." She couldn't understand how Eric could do that to a man whom he believes is his own son. When he did that, it was painful. It was worse than any affair that Eric had ever had. Stephanie felt it was a deeper betrayal”.

“My dad really loves Susan Flannery and wanted her to be Stephanie. He really had his eyes on her, as he did with John McCook. These are two people he enjoyed working with, and my dad knew that he wanted them”.