It was a shock to “The Young and the Restless” fans when Malcolm Winters decided to leave town and Shemar Moore said farewell to the soap, but he was moving on to a new chapter in his life and fans could still catch him once a week at night on “Criminal Minds” where he played Derek Morgan from 2005 to 2017.
“Criminal Minds” turned Moore into a superstar and a household name, but he never forgot his roots on “Y&R” and made a guest appearance as Malcolm in 2014 and 2019. In 2014, Malcolm was there to make amends with Neil after years of animosity between the two brothers. Just prior to his return, he told People he never forgot his soap opera roots.
“There is not a 20-year career without Malcolm Winters,” Moore said. “This is my second family. I don’t take any of it for granted. I’ve been wanting to do this since I left.”
Sadly, in 2019, Moore’s return was for Neil’s funeral. The funeral also acted as a memorial for Kristoff St. John, who had passed away on February 3, 2019, following mental health issues that plagued him after his son, Julian, took his own life in 2014.
