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NO MORE babies - that's the word from new mom Heather Locklear, who's rushed to the rescue of her struggling soap Melrose Place.
Heavenly Heather, 36, is the angel the show desperately needs to pull itself out of the slump it suffered last season, when the sexy star was pregnant with her daughter Ava and took a long maternity leave.
As The EXAMINER reported in June, Heather, Melrose's veteran vixen Amanda, had been telling pals she longed to quit the prime-time soap to spend more time with Ava and give her a little brother or sister as soon as possible.
But she agreed to put her baby plans on hold to help out old friend Aaron Spelling, the show's creator and top producer.
"Heather and her husband Richie Sambora had their hearts set on adding to their family right away and having Heather be a full-time mom," says a source close to the star.
"But when she realized how sorely she was needed to save the show from another bad year, she couldn't go through with the plan. She couldn't refuse Spellings plea.
"He's the guy who made her a star when he cast her on Dynasty years ago, and she's loyal to him. Richie was reluctant to go along at first, but she promised not to put off having another baby for more than one year - just long enough to the show back on track.
Says executive producer Charles Pratt Jr.: "Because Heather was pregnant, she didn't get the screen time we wanted her to. This year, Amanda's the show's center. She holds all the secrets."
Smoothing things out at home with Richie, 39, clears the way for Heather to throw all her energy into the show. And her TV bosses, praying she'll stem an alarming 13 percent ratings drop, rewarded her loyalty with a promotion to co-producer and more input into the scripts.
Heather had no trouble convincing the writers Amanda deserves to be the focus of the new story lines this summer, says another show insider.
"It was also Heather's idea to phase out the jazz club on the show and turn it into a rock'n'roll club - a real-life favorite of Heather and her rock star husband. In fact, Richie and his band, Bon Jovi, will be featured at the club in an upcoming episode."
- LAURIE CAMPBELL
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 Sneak peek at show's
all-time hottest plot
 BOWING to pressure from both Heather and co-star Jack Wagner, producers agreed to heat up the love action between their characters.
"The dramatic twists and turns in Amanda's love life during the first few episodes this summer won't deter Peter's plan to win Amanda back," says a source familiar with the top-secret script.
The EXAMINER has learned that Rena Sofer is joining the show as an old school chum of Amanda who's been serving time in prison for the murder of a high school football player they were both involved with. She has a score to settle with Amanda, and she'll recruit Peter to help her carry out her plan.
Meanwhile, an intriguing love triangle will take shape when Amanda drops Kyle (Rob Estes) and he takes up with returning character Jane (Josie Bissett) - who are husband and wife in real life. Despite Jane's love for Kyle, she'll find new hunk-on-the-block Alex, played by Steve Wilder, irresistible.
A slew of regulars from last season, including Andrew Shue (Billy) and Alyssa Milano (Jennifer), have been tossed off the cast to make room for newcomers and help steer the focus back on Heather.
The most dramatic exit will be Lisa Rinna's character Taylor. Following her failed suicide attempt after Kyle rejects her, her life will be put in peril again by a raging rainstorm that threatens the whole gang.
"There's a happy ending for Taylor, though," says the script source.
"With floodwaters swirling all around her, she'll give birth to a healthy baby. Then off she'll go to start a brand new life."
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