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DAYS Head Writers Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford Preview Marlena’s Grief Over John and Bo and Hope Getting “Resolution They Deserved”

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: JPI

The time has finally arrived. This week, Days of our Lives fans will see all-new episodes and stories crafted by the series latest head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford. The scribes began their current run back in July of 2024, after the exit of Ron Carlivati. Since DAYS streams nine months ahead of taping, this Wednesday, April 23rd will mark the beginning of their run as seen by the viewers.

In previewing what’s ahead in several key stories, the head writers share their plans for Marlena (Deidre Hall), who will lose the love of her life when the series has to kill-off the character of John, and memorialize him, due to the passing in real-life to the beloved Drake Hogestyn, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer back on September 28th of 2024.

As Cwikly and Ford explain it to TV Insider they were hoping Drake would return but when he didn’t it was devastating to the show. They expressed, “While we wanted John to have a heroic and meaningful exit, we wrote the story with the fervent hope that Drake would be able to return someday.”

Photo: JPI

Now. it will put Deidre Hall front and center as Marlena, the psychiatrist is going to be faced with an overwhelming loss in her life, as Cwikly and Ford tell it, “Marlena will be very busy in the coming months as a mother, grandmother, psychiatrist, and friend.  She has counseled many patients on grief and has obviously experienced loss herself, but losing John forces her to re-explore who she is without him.”

Kristian Alfonso (Hope) and Peter Reckell (Bo) are also headed back to DAYS towards the end of May/early June. The head writers share they hope to give fans what they want when they return, when the last time around, Bo was shot and landed in a coma just after he seemed to be getting his memory of his life with his “Fancy Face” Back.

Photo: JPI

Cwikly and Ford say, “Bo/Hope’s previous exit story could not be executed as originally planned, and we felt we needed to give them — and their fans — the resolution they deserved.”

So, are you looking forward to the Bo/Hope return and how DAYS resolves the life and times of John Black and how it will have ramifications for Marlena as she will be forced to deal with a new chapter in her life as a widow? Feeling positive about the latest DAYS writing regime as its episodes make their debut? Comment below.

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Does anyone know why the Hope/Bo story wasn’t executed as planned?

I am cautiously optimistic about this incoming writing regime; it does feel like the same story punch we’ve been sold from all other incoming writing regimes, however, both Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have seasoned history with Days of Our Lives, and despite working with some bad regimes, I am sure they still cherish that seasoned history, and that’s where I am putting my faith in them to [finally] turn this soap around in terms of its writing.

Wishing for the best but the show doesn’t need to return to the 90’s. The DiMera’s are no longer outsiders, they are part of the fabric of the community. The show needs to bring in new people that can die and be killed off. And if it doesn’t work. Please hire Heather Tom, so talented and give her a shot.

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Robert Kelker-Kelly, ‘General Hospital,’ ‘Days of our Lives’ and ‘Another World’ Star Dies at 62

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Robert Kelker-Kelly

Robert Kelker-Kelly, who became prominent as a one of the leading men in soap operas back in the late 80s and 90s has died at the age of 62. TMZ first reported the news of Robert’s passing on Saturday, October 3 at his home in St. Peters, Missouri.

According to the St. Peters police report, officers responded to call at around 8:16 pm about an unconscious man who was not breathing, as paramedics and other EMS were en route, Kelker-Kelly had reportedly complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event.

Officers and paramedics administered life-saving measures, but were unsuccessful in reviving Kelker-Kelly. The cause of his death is still unknown and under investigation.

Robert Kelker-Kelly

Photo: NBC

Daytime fans first saw Robert back in 1987 when he was cast as Sam Fowler on Another World. He played the role for three year suntil 1990. Two years later, he took over the role of Bo Brady on Days of our Lives replacing Peter Reckell, who at that time decided to leave the show.

As Bo, Kelker-Kelly was major in story playing opposite the likes of: Crystal Chappell as Dr. Carly Manning, Kristian Alfonso as Hope Williams and Lisa Rinna as Billie Reed. When Peter Reckell returned to his signature role in 1995, Kelker-Kelly left the show.

Next, Robert returned to his original stomping grounds at Another World but this time as race car driver, Bobby Reno who was actually Dr. Shane Roberts. His second AW stint lasted from 1996-1998.

Robert Kelker-Kelly, GH

Photo: ABC

Eventually, the actor would begin his run as the evil Stavros Cassadine on General Hospital in 2001, then make returns in 2002 and 2003. In 2013, he briefly returned as Stavros as part of the show’s 50th anniversary celebration, and made one last appearance in 2014.

Robert has also became a professional pilot full from 2003 to 2015 and had been married to former Days of our Lives star, Miriam Parrish (ex-Jamie Caldwell) from 1997-2011, but the couple divorced in 2011. Since that time, he has not remarried.

Recently, Robert was back in the news when Lisa Rinna talked about her time working with her former Days of our Lives co-star in her recently released memoir, You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It.

Rinna shared on her then on-screen love interest, “Behind the scenes, we hated each other. Remember when Kathy Hilton said I was the biggest bully in Hollywood? Not true. Not even close! I have legit stories about the real bullies in this town. Robert Kelker-Kelly is one of those bullies.”

The former Billie Reed and reality star even punctuated that with, “He made my life a living hell on the set of DAYS, He was horrible to me, I’d go so far as to say verbally abusive. He was passive-aggressive, manipulative and played weird mind games.”

Michael Fairman TV will provide further updates as they become available on the death of Robert Kelker-Kelly.

Now, share your remembrances and condolences on the loss of Robert Kelker-Kelly via the comment section below and let us know of all his daytime roles, which was your favorite.

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Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: Kristen Locates an Alive Sophia, How Much Does Rita Know About the Birth of Dominic Marino?

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Days of our Lives Preview

Next week, expected surprises and schemes on Days of our Lives. In official spoilers for episodes streaming on Peacock from October 5-9, it looks like Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) has hunted down a very much alive Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd), while Marlena (Deidre Hall) admits a deeply concerning confession to her daughter Belle (Martha Madison), and more.

As previously reported, Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, General Hospital) is stepping in for one day for Tyler Joseph Andrews in the role of Theo Carver and will share scenes with Gabi (Cherie Jimenez), where Theo finally agrees to go along with Gabi’s plan, after she offered him a job.

Meanwhile, Gabi may have her hands full with Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier) whose big win in Monte Carlo may have sparked his gambling addiction … all over again, but Philip reveals her has a plan.

Kristen and Sophia Diner

Photo: Corday Productions

Sydney (Sydney Malekeh) is in for a shock when Dante (Franco LoPresti) arrives in Salem. Why is he in Salem? Is he part of the unraveling of the Dominic Marino mystery, since we know he seemed like he was talking to the man in Monte Carlo?

Will Marlena ever figure out what Rita (Maggie Carney) is hiding about the mystery of Dominic, and if Marlena is truly his birth mother or did something more suspicious go on and how deeply involved is Rita in this whole story?

EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) finally demands answers of his own from Rita after overhearing on today’s Cliffhanger Friday her conversation with Marlena. Will Rita cop to anything?

Then as noted, while everyone thinks Sophia took her own life, after Kristen “murdered” her, Kristen is infuriated to find she is somehow alive working as waitress in a diner in Kentucky. Will Kristen try to kill Sophia yet again?

Take a look at some of the additional spoilers for next week’s action on DAYS below.

Monday, October 5

Joy worries about her future.
Alex surprises Stephanie.
Chanel supports Johnny through a difficult decision.

Tuesday, October 6

Rachel gives Brady cause for concern.
Roman surprises Kate.

Wednesday, October 7

Leo’s good day takes an unexpected turn.
Brady is forced to make a difficult call.

Thursday, October 8

Paulina refuses to give up on Lani.
Chanel asks Johnny for a promise.

Friday, October 9

Stephanie and Alex steal a private moment.
Steve gets troubling news from Johnny.

So, what do you think will happen when Kristen finds that the woman she thought she murdered and framed (making it looking like a suicide) is alive and well and working in a diner far away from Salem? Was Rita more involved with Stefano DiMera than we even know? Who is the birth mother of Dominic? Is it really Marlena or did someone else carrying her child? And what of Dante? Why is he back in Salem? To get at Philip, or something else? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver

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Tajh Bellow

After an earlier post on Thursday, October 1 about General Hospital alumni Tajh Bellow’s (ex-TJ Ashford) upcoming project from Issa Rae’s HOOPAE Digital, comes word that Bellow is temporarily stepping into the role of Days of our Lives Theo Carver to fill in for Tyler Joseph Andrews on the Peacock streaming soap opera.

According to TV Insider, Bellow will be making a one-day appearance next week on the October 6 episode of DAYS as Andrews was unable to make the tape date that was shot 10 months ago on a day last December. Andrews (pictured below) took over the role of Theo in September of 2025.

In Bellow’s upcoming episode as Theo, he will share scenes with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez).  A DAYS spokesperson tells the outlet that Bellow “stepped seamlessly into the role, and the cast and crew were grateful for his professionalism and commitment, albeit for only one episode.”

Tyler Joseph Andrews and Cherie Jimenez

Photo: JPI

TAJH WILL BE SEEN IN MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER

As General Hospital fans know, Tajh played the role of TJ Ashford from 2018 to his last appearance in December of 2024. Along the way, he received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his performances as TJ, the last being in 2025 in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

In addition, bellow along with Y&R alum Loren Lott will be seen starting on October 14 in the new Love Island spoof series, The Compatibility Experiment. The show will drop exclusively on TikTok and the PineDrama platform.

The Compatibility Experiment gives a satirical look at reality dating shows, think Love Island! The story centers around Kelvin (Bellow) and Camila (Lott), whose relationship is put to the test when they join a reality show to try to win a the million dollar prize.

So, what do you think of Tajh stepping in for Tyler Joseph Andrews as Theo on DAYS? Perhaps, the soap opera liked his work that he might be considered for another role in the future bringing Bellow back to the soaps? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.

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