: ▁" In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁having ▁the ▁entire ▁Abb ott ▁cl an ▁together ▁[...] ▁is ▁like ▁a ▁joy ous ▁family ▁re union ▁for ▁long time ▁view ers ". ▁John ▁G oud as ▁of ▁The ▁G ads den ▁Times ▁was ▁favor able ▁of ▁E pp erson ' s ▁performance ▁two ▁years ▁into ▁her ▁duration , ▁stating ▁that ▁she ▁" is ▁holding ▁her ▁own ", ▁though ▁he ▁noted ▁her ▁to ▁be ▁" E ile en ' s ▁double ". ▁He ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁front - burn er ▁status ▁of ▁Ash ley ▁and ▁Brad ' s ▁rom antic ▁story line ▁demonstrated ▁that ▁producer ▁William ▁J . ▁Bell ▁" has ▁full ▁confidence ▁in ▁[ E pp erson ] ". ▁ ▁The ▁character ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁rival ry ▁with ▁Nik ki ▁New man ▁( M el ody ▁Thomas ▁Scott ) ▁for ▁many ▁years ; ▁a ▁poll ▁run ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁by ▁website ▁Day time ▁Conf ident ial ▁asking , ▁" Who ▁would ▁win ▁a ▁cat ▁fight , ▁Nik ki ▁New man ▁or ▁Ash ley ▁Abb ott ? ", ▁saw ▁ 6 3 % ▁of ▁vot ers ▁say ▁Nik ki ▁would ▁win , ▁with ▁ 3 7 % ▁saying ▁Ash ley ▁would ▁win . ▁G idd ens ▁was ▁favor able ▁of ▁Ash ley ▁running ▁J ab ot ▁Cos met ics ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁writing : ▁" Ok ay ▁this ▁has ▁to ▁stop . ▁My ▁heart ▁simply ▁can ' t ▁take ▁it . ▁It ' s ▁like ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁yo