‘Days of Our Lives’ in 2025: Fan Favorite Returns, Recastings, New Writers & More
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It was a year of highs and lows for Days of our Lives in 2024. While the show was picked up for Season 61 by Peacock and celebrated its 15,000th episode, real-life deaths of beloved castmates and a head writing change shook up things behind the scenes.
As the new year kicks off, where the soap is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary on November 8, co-executive producer Janet Drucker says, “Despite how hard the past year has been, personally and professionally, including losing Bill [Hayes, Doug Williams], Drake [Hogestyn, John Black] and most recently Wayne [Northrop, ex-Roman Brady], in addition to the major changes in our writing staff, we have really settled into and are enjoying the trajectory of the show. We are truly enthusiastic about how our vision is taking shape and can’t wait to share it with our fans, old and new.”
Those changes will be more realized in the spring, when the material of new co-head writers Paula Cwickly and Jeanne Marie Ford, who replaced Ron Carlivati, will begin airing. “The stories created by Paula and Jeanne Marie will first be seen at the end of April and it will quickly be evident that they are moving us back to Salem’s core family dynamics — Brady, Horton, Kiriakis, DiMera, and Hernandez families,” previews Drucker. “We’ll see Sami [Brady, Alison Sweeney] and Rex [Brady, Kyle Lowder] come home for visits, and the closer we get to the show’s 60th anniversary in the fall, the more familiar faces will appear.”
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And some new ones, as well, the exec shares. “It is going to be a big year honoring the show’s past and legacy while setting up new, eventful, and exciting stories,” enthuses Drucker. “Marnie [Saitta, casting director] continues to bring some really great actors our way for a couple of recasts, plus more intriguing characters to come. We have new actresses portraying young Rachel and Sophia; they appear early in the year. There is definitely a refocus and stronger storylines featuring our college-aged characters, as audiences are already getting a taste of with the Tate [Black, Leo Howard], Holly [Jonas, Ashley Puzemis], and Sophia [Madelyn Kientz] love triangle/baby story. We, of course, will stick with romance — Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, love triangles — plus a riveting whodunnit, and of course, small doses of humor Leo [Stark, Greg Rikaart], Hattie [Adams, Deidre Hall] and Bonnie [Lockhart, Judi Evans], Susan [Banks, Stacy Haiduk] and Vivian [Alamain, Louise Sorel] always deliver.”
New Writing Team’s First Episodes
- Episodes from the new head writing team of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford will start airing on April 24, 2025.
- Special, joyous, 60th anniversary episodes are being planned and will include the return of some favorite Salemites, airing in November 2025.
Big Casting Changes
- Madelyn Kientz’s last airdate as Sophia Choi is January 27, 2025. Newcomer Rachel Boyd takes over the role on February 12, 2025.
- Kim Coles returns as Nurse Whitley King — Abe Carver’s (James Reynolds) soap-loving kidnapper — for one episode February 5.
- Emily O’Brien, who played Gwen Rizczech before assuming the role of Theresa Donovan when Gwen left town in October 2023, will be back as Gwen on March 10, 2025.
- Alice Halsey takes over as Rachel Black on April 24.
- Soap vet Michael Dietz, known for playing Joe Scanlon on Port Charles and Alan-Michael Spaulding on Guiding Light, will appear for a short story arc beginning April 30.
Exciting Storylines Ahead
- Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) and Xander Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) work to change the course of both Titan and DiMera Enterprises.
- Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) realizes Philip isn’t the one for her.
- EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and Belle Black (Martha Madison) can’t deny their intense attraction to one another.
- The Who Shot EJ? mystery commences, involving most of Salem.
- Rachel Black disappears.
- Sophia Choi continues to weave a tangled web with Tate and Holly, and her mother, Amy Choi, adds to the chaos.
- Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) vows to Marlena Evans (Hall) that he’ll keep searching for John Black.
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- Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and JJ Deveraux’s (Casey Moss) feelings are rekindled.
- Doug Williams III (Peyton Meyer) and Holly Jonas find an attraction
- As Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) and Rafe Hernandez’s (Galen Gering) wedding approaches, his doppelgänger Arnold Feniger (also played by Gering) returns.
- Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) and Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) do their best to fight undeniable feelings for each other.
- Rex Brady (Kyle Lowder), Vivian Alamain (Sorel), and Sami Brady (Sweeney) all make return visits to Salem.
- Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) is caught between Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins) and Stephanie.
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G
I keep hoping they get rid of the current Gabi and give us one who can act instead of just memorize lines.
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G
I don't like new gabi
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B
I really didn’t think I would like her but I really do! She stepped in and took over like a pro!
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O
I think the new gabi is horrible
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G
Where's the info on what's coming up for Johnny & Chanel on Days?
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B
I wish they would bring back Denise Alexander ("Susan Martin") for the 60th anniversary shows. I think they should have included her in the "Doug Williams" funeral scenes. She was a key character in the 60's. She was a part of a love triangle with "Doug" and "Julie" during a very popular time in the storyline. I also miss Peter Porte. I think "Leo Stark" deserves a love interest again, so bring him back into the storyline!
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G
Leave Rachael black don't recast her and don't recast Sophia
Let her and Aaron be a couple
Kristen need a life
So do ej
Let Belle Shawn get back together
Brady and available
Stephanie and Alex
Tate and holly
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B
Yea why replace Sophia? I Love her wtf
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G
These new writers need to put a stop the kissing COUSINS Alex & Stephanie. Also bring back all the next generation of legacy characters
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D
It's like Lily and Holden, sort of, Alex is not biologically related to Stephanie. Adrienne raised him, but was not his biological mom. I think we are supposed to believe Stephanie and Alex weren't raised together. Who knows?
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C
Stephanie’s parents are Patch and Kayla while Alex’s parents are Justin and I can’t recall but she’s dead….????
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O
I thought Emily was appearing briefly as Theresa in March, and not back again as Gwen until around August?
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C
I think probably bc Gwen was behind the whole "Lady Whistleblower" thing. No one gives a damn though.
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O
Gwen isn't the lady Whistleblower it's Javi's boyfriend Kerry
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O
The site made a typo and Yes Theresa returns briefly in March and Gwen in July
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O
Maybe you don't but some of us like diversity because the audience is diverse.
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R
I agree! That poster is very rude! Ignore her. I was also wondering what happened to trash.. maybe they quietly let het go?
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G
The actress the article mentions as playing Joy Wesley is not correct. She is being played as an adult by Alexann Hopkins. The person cited in the article was a baby that played baby Joy twenty years ago.
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G
Also, where are the Asian men on Days??
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O
I was hoping Li Shen wasn't really dead & would make a comeback other than in a vision. I haven't seen Melinda Trask much either after she was rescued.
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C
Phillip is so funny, so glad he's back !
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B
All these stories sounds great except for Leo.
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O
Story are getting dumb . I hate there is two Raff
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D
I think that the actress who currently is playing Rachel & has been for awhile is soap opera gold & I see no compelling need to make her older.Sure, perhaps later but this year? Nope. Not broken. Doesn't need fixing.
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O
I wonder why she was replaced?She definitely did a great job playing a brat. The new actress doesn't seem much or any older so it doesn't appear Rachel was SORAS. According to the new actresses Instagram she just reached double digits on her birthday.
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D
Some of us have been hoping it is the actor's choice.
If it's not we're still mad.
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P
My sister and I really like her. The character has so much more depth which all but disappeared with the original Gabi.
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P
I hope the new storyline beginning in April 2025 are entertaining and not irritating.
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G
For some reason I don't care for Holly, she's like a spoiled little rich child
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G
The new Gabi is great!
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G
I wholeheartedly agree! Remember when her baby fell off the swingset and died?! I was only 4 years old and was watching that and it made quite the impression on me I still remember!
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B
Bring back James Scott as.....who is the real EJ...
Both current EJ and old EJ claiming to be the real EJ.
I would watch that.
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G
I wish Sammy were a regular on the show.
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O
Doug111 and Holly………NOOOOOO!
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C
Glad to see Philip back at Days, he makes me laugh and he's cool, missed him a lot so his return is most welcome !
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