Courtney Hope plays Sally on The Young and the Restless (Custom edit by Sportskeeda, Original Image [CBS]) — Courtney Hope plays Sally on The Young and the Restless (Custom cover edited by Sportskeeda, Original Image [CBS])

The Young and the Restless star Courtney Hope opens up about Sally’s romance curse

Modified Apr 19, 2025 11:12 GMT

Sally Spectra's love life has never been smooth on The Young and the Restless. The character, played by Courtney Hope since the debut, has endured a string of failed relationships. In an interview with Soap Opera Digest published on March 25, 2025, Hope opened up about Sally's love life.

Hope originally portrayed Sally on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2017 before transitioning the character to The Young and the Restless. Over the years, Sally has faced numerous relationship collapses during her time on the soap.

“That’s actually something that I’ve really sat with,” Hope said. “It’s like a ‘fool me once, fool me twice’ type of thing. I feel like she’s constantly had that [struggle], and she’s ultimately always the one who’s left! They always end up with their ex.”

According to Hope, there is a clear pattern: Sally often gets dumped when her partner reignites a flame with his old lover. She noted that Sally is always the one who is left behind. She spoke more on this recurring problem that still frames Sally's emotional journey with her partners on The Young and the Restless.

Courtney Hope comments on how Sally is always left behind by her lovers on The Young and the Restless

Hope acknowledged this underlying trend in Sally's dating life: she dates guys who are attracted to someone from their past. Her comment speaks to a deeper exploration of the character's emotional trajectory, one of rejection and self-doubt.

"But with this Billy situation, I think it’s like, ‘Oh, wow, I thought maybe with this guy [it] would be different, but it’s not. It’s the same.’ So Sally needs to maybe do some therapy on that one," Hope said.

Hope also touched on Billy and Phyllis's relationship specifically. She explained that Sally assumed things would turn out differently this time. Hope commented on how, once again, her partner's ex has disrupted Sally's relationship, and Sally would need therapy.

She further discussed Sally's unfinished business with Adam, providing an honest appraisal of where her character stands emotionally.

“There will be love there, but… when they take advantage of you and disrespect you in that way, you have to turn the page.”

Her voice mirrors that she still has feelings for Adam, but her personality has eclipsed her caution. She has discovered that self-respect is more important than emotions and has gained respect for herself since the infidelities.

Sally's romantic life on The Young and the Restless

Sally's bad luck in romance began years before arriving in Genoa City. Her romance with Thomas Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful, a spin-off of The Young and the Restless, ended when he decided to return to his ex, Caroline Spencer.

Her second romance, Wyatt Spencer, had better potential, but he, too, left her for his old high school flame, Flo Fulton. The cycle would continue when Sally relocated to Genona City. She sparked a hot romance with Adam Newman, and the two quickly became fan favorites.

However, that relationship also involved betrayal when Adam slept with his ex-wife, Chelsea Lawson. Sally tried to move on from him by dating Billy Abbott, seeking to finally have something real, but once again, her past would catch up with her.

Billy's ongoing relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Phyllis Summers, has created new problems. Sally had felt like the only woman she had to deal with was Chelsea, who was no longer around. But Phyllis's return has added extra tension to an already strained relationship on The Young and the Restless.

Fans can watch episodes of The Young and the Restless on CBS.

About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is a Daily Soap writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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