‘Days of Our Lives’ Axes 4 Fan-Favorite Stars — When Will Their Characters Exit?

Days of our Lives kicked off the year with a shock: Four fan-favorite characters, who were positioned as part of the show’s next generation, have been written out.

Carson Boatman (Johnny DiMera), Raven Bowens (Chanel Dupree DiMera), Leo Howard (Tate Black), and Ashley Puzemis (Holly Jonas) have been let go but will remain on screen until the end of 2026 due to the soap’s unusual production schedule, filming 10 months in advance.

The firings came as a surprise, as both couples — known to fans as “Lanel” (Johnny and Chanel) and “Tally” (Tate and Holly) — have passionate followings and deep legacy ties as the children of Salem icons. Boatman’s Johnny, the son of Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel), joined the soap in 2021. That same year, Bowens replaced Precious Way as the daughter of Paulina Price (Jackée Harry). Puzemis was introduced in 2023 as Nicole Walker’s (Arianne Zucker) daughter, while Howard was tapped to play Brady Black’s (Eric Martsolf) son in 2024 after the departure of Tate’s previous portrayer, Jamie Martin Mann. Puzemis received a nomination in the Daytime Emmys’ Emerging Talent category in 2025.

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The duos have been central to dramatic storylines over the past few years, including miscarriages, breakups and makeups, drug use and a paternity mystery. Most recently, Johnny and Chanel happily discovered she was pregnant, while Tate and Holly were settling into a rare period of happiness after Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) manipulated their relationship for the better part of 2025.

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The story of the cast changes first appeared in the Daily Mail. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Days says, “While we don’t comment on individual contracts or casting decisions, we have tremendous respect and appreciation for the actors who bring these characters to life. What may seem sudden is part of long-range storytelling decisions. Our goal is to balance the show’s rich history with where we’re headed creatively. Due to our long tape-to-air gap, any changes won’t be on screen for some time.”

Days of Our Lives, Weekdays, Peacock