A 2003 plot twist shockingly revealed Jill to be Katherine's long lost biological daughter, although in 2009, former head writer Maria Arena Bell rewrote their history, reversing that decision.

John Goudas of The Miami News said that the show "flourishes when her character takes center stage," while Nekeeta Borden of Zap2it noted that Jill has always craved a sense of belonging despite her personality.

[16] After her return, Walton announced in an interview with Soap Opera Digest that she had voluntarily dropped to recurring status to allow for more time with her family.

In a court battling for her son she never gave a darn about, quixotic Jill Foster Abbott gives The Young and the Restless a few heady jolts."

[29] Walton described Jill's romance Sean Bridges (David Lee Russek), who was a young web designer, as a "boy toy".

[32] Several years later, Walton said that John was one of the character's "best matches" because "Jill had a real love and respect for him – I just don't think she had the physical passion for him so she got restless.

"[29] After years of not having a relationship, Jill has a brief romance with district attorney William Bardwell (Ted Shackelford) in 2007, which ends when Gloria Abbott (Judith Chapman) schemes to have him for herself.

How much more moving it would have been if these two women faced Katherine's request for Jill to name her child Phillip as former adversaries trying to put the past behind them instead of as bitter enemies of days gone by.

She also described Jill as being in a "soul-searching period" during the storyline, saying: "Now she's numbing herself with the alcohol because all those feelings of love are coming up for her mother, and she doesn't know how to deal with them."

"[18] In June 2010, when Jill's adoptive mother, Liz Foster (Julianna McCarthy), died, it was then learned that her biological father was Neil Fenmore.

"[18] Nekeeta Borden of Zap2it noted: "The redhead told Jill in no uncertain terms that she intended to keep her father's memory, and only child status, firmly intact and had no interest in a close relationship.

"[2] In February 2017, after learning that her husband Colin stole her life savings (millions of dollars), Jill suffers from a near-fatal heart attack.

Nancy Brown of The Huffington Post noted: "In typical fashion, she blamed the warmth on others keeping the heat turned up and dismissed the jaw pain to likely grinding her teeth at night.

Executive producer Mal Young felt that the character of Jill was the "perfect choice to show how a woman's life can dramatically change as a result of heart disease."

He further mentioned that "Along with providing us with some very emotional and dramatic episodes, the subject also gives us the opportunity to educate and highlight a very pertinent issue using characters our viewers know well.

[2] Following the episode where Jill is diagnosed, Walton appeared in a public service announcement urging viewers to visit the American Heart Association website.

She is raised by her mother, Liz Foster, and her two older brothers, Snapper (William Gray Espy) and Greg (James Houghton).

"Jill tolerated Kay's habits of regularly drinking herself into oblivion and smoking to such an extent that her husband Phillip Chancellor, couldn't stand to be near her.

"All of Jill's many acts of kindness and great patience toward Katherine did not escape Phillip's notice and he became inexorably drawn to the innocent and beautiful young lady.

[45] As Phillip "lay dying in his hospital bed, he had one last request to make of his beloved Jill:marry him to give their unborn child his name and his fortune!

Jill divorced John in 1986 and gets 20% of Jabot in their settlement, and a seat on the board of directors after threatening to sell her story turning it into a novel or film.

Jill strives at her business, but is later found in her shower having been shot, just as her son Phillip returned to town after years away at boarding school.

Katherine allowed ex-con Larry Warton (Shark Fralick) to move in for housework, and Jill had an affair with him but kept it secret because of his social class.

They are led to believe that her true biological son is Ethan "Cane" Ashby (Daniel Goddard), an Australian national whose visa has expired and is fighting deportation.

Jill expected Katherine to have left everything to her in her will, but she only ends up with the Chancellor Estate, for which she can't afford the upkeep, and a mysterious music box.

"[33] The following year, when Jill opened her own nail salon, Mike Jubinville, also of Zap2it, noted that the character had "stepped into a time warp".

"[30] In 2013, Giddens wrote of Walton's portrayal throughout her run, stating: "Unlike most soap opera recasts, where success or failure depends on chemistry with an opposite sex romantic lead, newcomer Jess Walton would sink or swim, based on her ability to connect with fellow female powerhouse Jeanne Cooper, who played Jill's bitter rival Katherine "Kay" Chancellor."

When she exited stage right in 1980, first Bond Gideon, then Deborah Adair (later Kate, Days of our Lives) tried to fill in…but fell so flat that Dickson was lured back three years later.

"[60] In 2022, Mason also placed Jill 8th on his list of the best 25 characters from The Young and the Restless, commenting "How ironic — and perfect — that the onetime manicurist would become infamous for her talons!

The mercurial mantrap (played first by Brenda Dickson and longest by Jess Walton) sank her insatiable claws into one unsuspecting fella after another, in the process earning herself a reputation — since mellowed — as Genoa City's resident queen of mean.