The Young and The Restless spoilers and updates reveal Roger Howarth opens up about his new character, bad, bad boy Mitch Bacall!

He spoke to Soap Opera Digest in an extensive interview, and he’s excited about playing the infamous villain!

Viewers Speculated Roger Would Play Mitch

When Tamara Braun made her debut to Young and Restless fans earlier this month as Sienna Bacall and mentioned her husband, Mitch Bacall, viewers began to speculate. They figured  that Mitch was the character meant for soap veteran Roger Howarth.

Those theories were confirmed when the show released a video called “Meet the Bacalls” hinting at Howarth’s upcoming appearance-however, there’s a twist — and it’s a big one!

Soon,  fans discovered that Mitch is actually Matt Clark, the tormentor who has returned from the dead to haunt Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case).

Howarth spoke exclusively to Digest about his comeback to daytime television and his exciting new role.

Howarth Is A Soap Legend

Howarth, a soap legend, won a Daytime Emmy in 1994 for his breakout performance as Todd Manning on One Life to Live. He’s also recognized by daytime audiences for his lengthy role as Paul Ryan on As the World Turns (2003-10).

He portrayed  three different characters on General Hospital from 2012-2023 (first Todd, then Franco Baldwin, and finally Austin Gatlin-Holt).

The actor first worked with Y&R’s Executive Producer/Head Writer Josh Griffith when Griffith was co-head writer at OLTL in the early 1990s and states, “I trust Josh completely.”

Therefore, when he and Griffith initially discussed the idea of Howarth joining the show to portray Mitch-but-really-Matt, the actor shares, “It was really flattering and so nice to be thought of.

Roger Continued Talking About Griffith, And Costumer Mandi Line

Roger went on to say that Griffith mentioned it’s a fantastic role and that I’d be collaborating with amazing people, and both of those statements proved to be accurate.

“What’s there not to be thrilled about?” he smiles; “Matt Clark is a fantastic character!” Howarth realized just how fantastic when he visited the Y&R studio for the first time, which was for a wardrobe fitting with the show’s incredible costumer, Mandi Line.

 “Mandi is extremely talented, hardworking, dedicated, and detail-oriented,” the actor commends.; “She considered everything, man, she made me feel like stepping into the character would be effortless. Because visually, so much had already been arranged-I mean, when you see the jewelry he wears, you instantly understand who the guy is-and that’s incredibly beneficial for an actor”.

Howarth Has Taken On Two Roles As A Recast Previously

In his four main roles on daytime TV, two;  Paul from ATWT and Franco from GH have been recast.

So Howarth is used to taking on characters with a lot of history that he didn’t originally portray. He learned about Matt’s background with help from the writers.

They took time to explain where he had been, what he had done, and how they wanted him to fit into the overall dynamics of Genoa City,” Howarth shares. He adds, “I believe that during his absence from Genoa City, he created a whole life, which has evolved over the years into who he is now.

Howarth Says The Character’s History Is Another Way To Grasp The Character

For Howarth, this was another way to grasp the character. “When someone is pretending to be another person, you tend to know everything about that person,” he explains. “If they are deceiving about their identity, what else are they hiding?

Matt genuinely believes in the life he has led all these years as Mitch- and the great part is that it ensures the current Matt Clark will closely resemble how he was previously written. “They respect his past, but I think they want him to show up in his present form,” Howarth adds.

Roger Talks About How Josh Griffith Made His Storyline Needs Clear

Josh clearly communicated his needs regarding the storyline involving Mitch, Sienna, and Noah Newman (Lucas Adams)-everything was laid out for us. They made sure to inform everyone about their expectations, so I felt very well cared for.

Fans should look forward to seeing Matt’s true nature revealed soon, as Howarth hints, “The ramp was short — Matt gets up to no good very, very quickly.” Due to the story’s nature, Howarth will collaborate closely with the experienced Genoa City stars who portray Sharon and Nick, Joshua Morrow and Sharon Case.

Howarth expresses, “I was super-excited to meet Josh and Sharon, and they’ve been amazing, and Lucas [Adams, who will debut next week as Noah Newman] is a really nice kid.

Howarth Enthuses About Everyone’s Goodness..As Well As Matt Clark’s Badness!

Everyone has been incredibly kind-honestly, if I were a dog, I’d be wagging my tail-however, don’t expect to see those positive vibes when the cameras start rolling.

Howarth is familiar with playing villains on daytime TV, but Matt Clark might be the most wicked one yet. “I’m really grateful to portray a character with mischievous, devious, and villainous traits,” he smiles; “It’s a lot of fun- I’ve always enjoyed watching such characters and being part of them.

These roles are special to me, and it’s always important to understand their motivations, which often relate to love or a desire for love. I believe that all great TV villains have a deeper emotional need at their core.

Roger Speaks To His Character’s Villainy

The actor states, “With this character, you can see what drives his villainy, and regarding his history, the villainy was quite intense the last time Matt Clark was around!

Pretending to be dead to get back at someone else,” as Matt did to frame Nick, “is not a trivial act, it’s a significant, daring action.”

And according to Howarth, time hasn’t changed Matt at all. “He’s had plenty of time to think about it and if anything, I believe his wickedness has become more pronounced and profound,” the actor cautions.

Roger Says Matt Is A True Villain

“Yes- this is a genuine villain. I feel like I understand why he acts the way he does, and that, to me, is part of the narrative that you’ll need to watch for and follow.” Fans should anticipate Matt trying to maintain his Mitch identity for as long as possible.

Even though Sharon suspected he was an unwelcome reminder of her past from the first moment she saw him,  “It’s crucial for Matt that people keep believing he’s Mitch,” Howarth clarifies. “He has created a life as Mitch, and he cherishes the life he leads as Mitch.

It’s Disruptive To Mitch To Have The Newmans Think He’s Matt

Mitch’s life is greatly affected by the Newmans believing he is someone else, and he tries hard to show them that their perception is wrong!

Howarth shares, “What I appreciate is that there’s an extra layer of him being deceitful and manipulative, so dedicated to his lies that they become a form of truth in his own mind. He seems a bit lost, which I find to be an interesting character trait. He has been lying for so long that he believes it’s the truth, and I think that’s a beautifully flawed and human aspect to explore in a story.”

Roger Is Grateful For All The Excitement His Casting Has Caused

The actor is very grateful for the excitement his casting has generated among Y&R fans and his followers from other shows.

“It makes me really happy,” Howarth states. “I’m genuinely moved by the support. The main reason we do what we do is for the audience to enjoy it. That’s our purpose!” To the Y&R viewers, he adds, “Thank you for watching, stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy it; it should be entertaining!”

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Y&R right now. Come back here often for The Young and The Restless spoilers, news, and updates.