Christel Khalil is pressing pause on The Young and the Restless, at least for now. The actress is stepping away temporarily from her role as Lily Winters as she prepares for maternity leave, and the show has already started laying the groundwork for her exit.
How Christel Khalil Exits Y&R?
Fans likely caught the clues in the Y&R episode that aired on January 7, 2026. During the episode, Lily told Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) that she was leaving town to visit their daughter, Mattie Ashby.
Cane, clearly reluctant to let her go alone, offered to come along, but Lily gently shut that idea down. She insisted that it was not a good move.
Not long after, she was on the phone with her brother Devon Hamilton (Bryton James), letting him know she was heading out of town. This moment appears to mark the beginning of Khalil’s temporary exit from the canvas.
Why Khalil Leaves Y&R Temporarily
Off-screen, the reason for Lily’s absence is a joyful one. In real life, Christel Khalil is expecting her third child and her second with husband Sam Restagno.
Khalil first revealed back in the summer of 2018 that she was in a relationship with Restagno, a Canadian businessman who works in private equity.
The two met in 2016 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.
In June 2023, Khalil announced she was expecting her second child, her first with Restagno. They got married on October 8, 2024, in a beautiful ceremony at the Masseria Grieco resort in Puglia, Italy. Then, in October 2025, it was revealed that baby number three is on the way.
How Long will Lily be off Y&R?
As for how long Lily will be off-screen, that part remains to be seen. If history is any indication, viewers can expect her to be gone for several weeks. During Khalil’s previous pregnancy, she took a couple of months away from the show before returning to Genoa City and slipping right back into Lily’s world.
So, what will this break mean for Lily and Cane? Will time apart help them heal old wounds or just create new ones? And when Lily eventually makes her way back to Genoa City, will she and Cane finally find their way back to each other?
How are you feeling about Lily’s exit? Are you rooting for a reunion when she returns, or do you think this chapter could change everything?
Photo Credit: JPI Studios.
Key Takeaways
- Christel Khalil temporarily steps away from her role as Lily Winters on The Young and the Restless for maternity leave.
- In the January 7, 2026, episode, Lily hints at her departure by saying she’s leaving town to visit her daughter.
- Khalil is expecting her third child, her second with husband Sam Restagno, whom she met at Coachella in 2016.
- Historical patterns suggest Khalil may be off-screen for several weeks, having previously taken months off during her first pregnancy.
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