Genie Francis out at Y&R -- what's next?

Genie Francis out at Y&R -- what's next?

It's only been about five months since The Young and the Restless announced that it had signed Genie Francis to appear on the show. Now, online rumors have popped up saying that the Emmy-winning actress is done in Genoa City.

Rumors have surfaced online stating that The Young and the Restless' recent high-profile hire, Genie Francis (Genevieve Atkinson) is on her way out. A show spokesperson, however, has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement that denies the rumor.

So which is right -- the rumor or the show's statement? They both are.

Francis is currently in Canada filming the third installment of The Note, the Hallmark Channel's popular movie series. The first installment of The Note aired in 2007. It became the third most-watched movie in the history of the Hallmark Channel. The popularity prompted a sequel, Taking a Chance on Love, which debuted in January 2009.

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In order to film the new movie, Francis had to take a three-week leave from The Young and the Restless. As a result, her character will be missing briefly from the canvas. Genevieve will be back -- with big story.

In March, Y&R stunned the daytime world by announcing that it had signed Francis to appear on the show. The agreement effectively dashed the hopes of General Hospital fans who had been holding out hope that the Emmy-winning actress would reprise her iconic role as GH's Laura Spencer.

The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura Spencer -- which was reportedly only brought about as a way to convince Elizabeth Taylor to make a guest appearance on the show -- was watched by more than 30 million viewers. Despite being one of daytime's most recognizable actresses, Francis has received only two Daytime Emmy nominations. In 2007, Francis won the Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy.

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