Here’s How Young and the Restless Decided Ian Ward Would Terrorize Sharon And The Newmans

If Ian Ward is going to return to wreak havoc on a soap opera, he’s going to have to inflict maximum damage on the ones he’s damaged previously. And on The Young and the Restless, that means Sharon, Phyllis, and the Newmans.

Y&R’s Revenge Agenda

Things for Sharon (Sharon Case) turned dire with Heather’s (Vail Bloom) murder, which, thankfully, Sharon didn’t commit. When originally brainstorming the creative on this storyline, Y&R head writer and executive producer Josh Griffith had to come up with a good villain. “I started looking into, historically, who had a beef with the Newmans,” he told Soap Opera Digest.

READ THIS: Could this be Ian’s ultimate plan on Y&R?

Once he chose Ian Ward to make a comeback, he decided to add an additional element. It turns out an Alfred Hitchcock movie inspired him during this phase of the process. “I actually watched Strangers on a Train,” revealed the Hitchcock fanatic. The movie inspired him to write a “You do my crime, and I’ll do yours” layer to the story. Subsequently, the concept necessitated a criminal companion for Ward (Ray Wise), namely Aunt Jordan (Colleen Zenk).

This double dose of danger and despair has resulted in mystery, madness, and, most especially, mayhem for the residents of Genoa City. And, as of now, they don’t even suspect anything. In fact, Sharon is ready to take all the blame.

READ THIS: Colleen Zenk sets the record straight on Aunt Jordan’s return.

According to Griffith, Ian and Jordan, “both have reasons to want revenge in Genoa City.” This common ground element instantly raised the stakes as their stealthy team-up unfolded. “It seemed perfect that this murder (Heather’s) could be the catalyst for the whole thing,” Griffith explained. The second the show revealed Ian and Jordan in the same room, Griffith knew the viewers would deduce that “they must be behind it. They must have something to do with it!”