How did Phyllis Summers and Nick Newman’s affair start in The Young and the Restless? Details explored

Phyllis Summers and Nick Newman are among the most popular The Young and the Restless couples. Over the years, The Young and the Restless has borne witness to several breakups, reunions, and subsequent breakups between Phyllis and Nick. Despite the hiccups, the couple, affectionately known among fans as "Phick," has endured to this day.

Regardless of where they stand today, their journey on the show has been nothing short of extraordinary. The romance between Phyllis and Nick began when Nick was still married to Sharon. Phyllis, too, had been together with Jack Abbott. Throughout the early 2000s, Nick and Phyllis repeatedly engaged in affairs with each other. The extent of their affair was discovered for the first time by Phyllis's son, Daniel, who caught them having sex one day.

As Nick was previously married to Sharon, they had a daughter together named Cassie Newman. Unfortunately, Nick and Sharon's marriage couldn't survive the loss of their daughter, and Nick eventually found himself in Phyllis's embrace. By the time Nick was divorced from Sharon, Phyllis discovered that she was already pregnant. The paternity of the unborn child was called into question as Phyllis found it difficult to determine who the real father was—especially since she was already involved with both Nick and Jack at that point in time.

While Nick welcomed the idea of having a DNA test, Jack was furious. Eventually, it was confirmed that Nick was the father. Nick and a pregnant Phyllis then flew to Texas, where they were married by a Justice of the Peace in a tavern. Moving forward, Nick and Phyllis would break up and reunite several times on The Young and the Restless.

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How did Phyllis Summers manage her marriage to Jack Abbott during her affair with Nick in The Young and The Restless?

While Nick's marriage with Sharon was already in pieces by the time her fell in love with Phyllis. However, Phyllis was with Jack Abbott when she started her affair with Nick. Even after Phyllis and Nick began their affair, Jack remained very much in the picture. During the DNA testing episode, Jack was understandably displeased about the paternity of the unborn child, who later turned out to be Summer.

Jack and Phyllis were unexpectedly put to the test during the ice storm of 2006 when they became trapped in an elevator at Newman Towers. Nick was not present, as he was seen rescuing his then-wife Lily and son Daniel. Inside the trapped elevator, amidst the power outage, a pregnant Phyllis suddenly went into labor.

It was then discovered, to their shock, that the baby was in a breech position, lying feet-first rather than the usual head-first position. At first, Phyllis was understandably terrified about losing her baby and instructed Jack to pull the fetus by the feet if necessary. Jack tried his best to comfort Phyllis and remained by her side throughout the delivery.

When Nick called Phyllis, he was worried upon learning that she was about to deliver their child in an elevator. However, all eventually ended well as the baby, Summer, was born without complications. The ambulance eventually arrived and rescued Jack and Phyllis, along with the newborn, from the stranded elevator. The mother and daughter were initially kept under medical supervision before being released.

Over the years, Jack developed feelings for Kelly, which often led to trouble between him and Phyllis. Jack had also expressed his love for Phyllis numerous times on The Young and the Restless, with one notable instance being when he made Phyllis the head of fashion at Jabot Cosmetics. Despite this, Jack once again had an intimate moment with Kelly on Valentine's Day after a heated exchange with Phyllis.

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Was Nick Newman cheating on Sharon in The Young and The Restless?

As The Young and the Restless lore goes, Nick and Sharon were high-school sweethearts who came from different backgrounds—Nick belonging to an affluent family while Sharon came from a family of modest means. They first met on the show in 1994 when they were eighteen years old. At that time, Nick was with Amy Wilson, and Sharon was with Matt Clark.

During the early years of their relationship, Nick's father, Victor Newman, once provided financial support for an expensive surgery Sharon's mother needed. Although Sharon’s mother tried to repay the debt, Victor ultimately forgave it, as he had a fondness for his daughter-in-law. Despite starting their relationship on a positive note, Nick eventually cheated on Sharon—first with her best friend, Grace Turner, and later with Phyllis.

Nick and Sharon's marriage suffered due to her insecurity about not being able to conceive. However, Sharon eventually became pregnant after discontinuing her birth control pills. Their firstborn child, Noah Christian Newman, was born prematurely in 1997. It was during this time that Sharon's best friend, Grace, started developing feelings for Nick.

Nick ultimately cheated on Sharon with Grace. One night, he was out partying with his college friends while Sharon was sick at home, and Grace was looking after Noah. Nick, in his intoxicated state, entered the nursery and had sex with Grace, mistakenly believing her to be Sharon. He was overwhelmed with guilt upon realizing the severity of his drunken misconduct.

The next time Nick cheated on Sharon was during a trip to Denver when he once again got drunk and had relations with Grace. After Sharon learned of this, she parted ways with Nick. However, while living separately, they worked together in court to secure legal custody of Cassie. During this time, while taking care of Cassie, Nick and Sharon grew close again.

Phyllis Summers and Nick Newman’s relationship on The Young and the Restless has been a rollercoaster of passion, betrayal, and redemption. From secret affairs and unexpected pregnancies to dramatic breakups and reconciliations, their journey has kept fans captivated for decades. While their love story has had its fair share of complications—especially with the involvement of Sharon and Jack—it remains one of the most iconic romances in the show's history.

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The Young and the Restless is exclusively available on CBS.