While March Madness being canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. is likely not great news for most people who follow the annual college basketball tournament, there is a bright spot for some soap fans, as two popular CBS soaps that were previously set to be pre-empted for games are set to once again air new episodes.

“The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” usually find their episodes pre-empted from the schedule each year for the tournament, with only a few episodes a week as opposed to their usual five until March Madness ends. However, since March Madness was officially canceled this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, the soaps are once again back on the schedule—and will be airing new episodes instead of repeats.

For “The Young and the Restless,” this means that fans will continue to watch as several storylines keep playing out—most notably the ones involving Adam’s (Mark Grossman) plan to take Newman back from his family once again, as well as some other unexpected moments which affect the Abbott and Chancellor families as well.

Spoilers for the Thursday, March 19 episode reveal that “Jack (Peter Bergmann) delivers unexpected news, Summer (Hunter King) puts Theo (Tyler Johnson) on notice and Jill (Jess Walton) arranges a mysterious meeting.” As for the Friday, March 20 episode, “Adam investigates Victor’s (Eric Braeden) past, Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) cautions Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nick (Joshua Morrow) quizzes Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan).”

As for “The Bold and the Beautiful,” what will happen on the specific episodes has not yet been revealed, but Soaps.com has confirmed that new episodes are set to air. A weekly preview for the week’s episodes shows a shift of focus no that Thomas (Matthew Atkinson) has been exposed, as Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) finally reunite—only for Shauna (Denise Richards) to reveal to Quinn (Rena Sofer) that she saw Brooke kissing Bill (Don Diamont).

“The Young and the Restless” airs weekdays at 12:30 p.m. EDT on CBS. “The Bold and the Beautiful” airs weekdays at 1:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.

Bold and the Beautiful
New episodes of “The Bold and the Beautiful” featuring Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) will air following the cancellation of March Madness.  Howard Wise/JPI Studios for CBS