Is Jordan really gone? The Young and the Restless head writer speaks out

The Young and the Restless brought a surprising end to a fan-favorite villain this week when Aunt Jordan, played by legendary actress Colleen Zenk, met her demise.

Aunt Jordan on The Young and the Restless

It was just in 2023 that we met Aunt Jordan (Colleen Zenk). She came into the Newmans’ lives with a bang — or rather, a kidnapping, some poisoning, and a little stabby-stab.

Jordan is determined to destroy the lives of the people she deemed had ruined her sister, Eve Howard (Margaret Mason), many years ago. Eve, as longtime viewers may remember, was Victor’s (Eric Braeden) office assistant back when he was married to Julia. Victor and Eve had a one-night stand, and that’s where things took a turn. Eve wanted more, couldn’t have it, and became a little obsessed over the decades of coming and going, wreaking havoc every time she resurfaced.

Jordan felt she was deprived of a life with her sister and couldn’t talk to her before she died because of Victor. Of course, Jordan’s memory is clouded and conveniently leaves out the harmful things she and Eve have ever done. Jordan kidnapped Claire (Hayley Erin) when she was born, letting Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and her own nephew Cole (J. Eddie Peck) believe their daughter, who they had named Eve, had died. She raised Claire to believe that the Newmans didn’t want her, poisoning her mind against them as a long-term plot to destroy them all with Claire.

But the queen of disguises met her match this week when her protegee decided there would be no more chances for redemption. Claire realized Jordan was back yet again and knew she would never stop until she succeeded. Claire announced to her mother and grandmother that her aunt had to die.

Claire quickly had an entire plan in place and brought Jordan home for tea. However, she’d poisoned it with sleeping pills, and in dramatic fashion that only Colleen Zenk can pull off, Jordan guzzled down her cuppa and died.

But…did she? Inquiring minds have been asking ever since if it’s plausible that Jordan survived and she could be reappearing at any moment. After all, this is Jordan we’re talking about, and we didn’t actually see her get buried. And, as all good villains do, she has had the superpower of resurrection before.

Keeping Jordan around (or at least bringing her back in the future) is something most fans seem to want. And that’s not exclusive to the character; fans of The Young and the Restless love the actress as well. Regardless of the storylines, they light up the message boards with comments about Coleen Zenk.

She’s too much of a talent to just write off this soon! — Redditor fairyoftheforest

Dashing viewers hopes that she’d have her ah-ha moment on Monday, Josh Griffith, executive producer and head writer of The Young and the Restless, made a statement. “We appreciate all of the incredible work that the amazing Colleen Zenk brought to The Young and the Restless and the role of Aunt Jordan,” Griffith told Deadline.

But he didn’t quite say that she was gone forever, now did he? Fans have chimed in since what seems like Jordan’s finale. But keep an eye out for wig sales, and maybe, just maybe, don’t count out Jordan — or Colleen Zenk — quite yet. Until we see the proof, anything is possible.

Watch new episodes of The Young and the Restless on CBS or stream on Paramount Plus.