WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Young And The Restless, one of the longest-running TV soap operas ever filmed, marks another milestone this week with its 12,000th episode in the United States.

"Since 1973, The Young And The Restless has been part of daily life for millions of Americans," CBS, which airs the series, said in a release about the big day on Tuesday (Dec 1).

The show has tens of millions of fans in dozens of countries.

It centres on families living in an imaginary Wisconsin town called Genoa City, and follows their personal dramas of love, marriage, separation and people vanishing before mysteriously reappearing.

Some of the actors have played the same characters for decades, including Eric Braeden as Victor Newman, Melody Thomas Scott as Nikki Newman and Kate Linder as Esther Valentine.

To celebrate Episode 12,000, a special week for the show is planned, featuring flashbacks and the return of what CBS called beloved characters. The 12,000th episode will revisit some of the show's classic love stories, including the story of iconic couple Victor and Nikki Newman.

The Young And The Restless won eight Daytime Emmy Awards in June 2020, including Outstanding Drama Series. The show has a total of 11 wins in this category and 162 Daytime Emmy wins.