‘Days Of Our Lives’ New Head Writers Reveal Major Shakeups To Come

Days Of Our Lives fans were shocked by head writer Ron Carlivati’s exit from the soap in July 2024. He was replaced by Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford but viewers are only now seeing the end of Carlivati’s tenure. The new head writers teased major storyline shakeups are coming to the soap. Keep reading for more on what to expect.

Honoring Drake Hogestyn

Days Of Our Lives viewers were stunned by the news that Drake Hogestyn passed away in September 2024. He had been privately battling cancer. While his co-stars knew, the audience had no idea.

He joined the show in 1986 as “The Pawn.” The character when through many transitions during Hogestyn’s decades on the soap, from a presumed dead Roman Brady to John Black with various lineages. Drake Hogestyn’s irreplaceable chemistry with Deidre Hall fueled the John and Marlena supercouple.

Before his untimely death, Drake Hogestyn worked with the Days Of Our Lives writers to craft John Black’s exit storyline. The new head writers spoke with TV Guide as part of the publication’s massive triple print issue. Parade magazine reported on the long interview.

The head writers revealed that they kept John Black’s exit storyline open in case Drake Hogestyn was able to return to work. But fans can still expect a fitting send-off.

“John had already been off for over nine months, and there were only so many missions the man could be on. Realizing he might never come back, while praying he would, we needed to craft an exit that honored John, Drake, and the fans,” the writers said.

John Black’s final storyline has already begun as Marlena and Steve (Stephen Nichols) search for the missing ISA agent.

Major Returns For 60th Anniversary

Days Of Our Lives brought back a few familiar faces in November to attend the funeral of Doug Williams. The actor who played him, Bill Hayes, passed away in January 2024.

The soap opera plans to bring back even more favorite characters this November to honor the show’s 60th anniversary. Salem will host a hospital gala later this year. Some of the most notable returns include Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford), Jennifer Deveraux (Melissa Reeves), Eric Brady (Greg Vaughan,) and Will Horton (Chandler Massey).

Alison Sweeney is back on screen on Days this week when Sami comes home after hearing that EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) was shot. According to Parade, there are a lot of changes coming within the DiMera and Kiriakis families. Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) and his wife Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley) will also return soon.

Days Of Our Lives Head Writers Tease Return To Soap Roots

But perhaps most exciting for long-time viewers is the head writers plan to focus on the Horton and Brady families. Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso are coming back as Bo and Hope. Bo has been in a coma for years, so it will be interesting to see how the show explains his return.

Days Of Our Lives fans took to social media to share their excitement over the new head writers. Check out some of the comments.

• “Counting the days and hoping for better dialogue and storytelling ahead. Edit: and less flashbacks and repetitive dialogue plz.”
• “No more petty storylines towards actors, no more self-insertion as the “Woe is me Writer*. No more randomly bringing back and ruining long gone characters (Edmund Crumb, Rachel Blake, Ava Vitali, Xander Cook)”
• “I love they’re bring Hortons back”
• “I am tentatively encouraged by this. What DAYS needs is less of the silly nonsense Ron Carlivati wrote, and more serious family and character driven storylines”
• “It all looks very promising, I like the return to the roots of the series and the return to treating the older cast equally with the young”
• “I hope they stay true to their words. This is what DAYS represented, romance, relationships, core families/veterans.”

New episodes of Days Of Our Lives air weekdays on Peacock. Pick up the latest issue of TV Guide for more on what the new writers have in store for the soap.