Days Of Our Lives
DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: John Black’s Funeral Brings Back Fan Favorites, Heartbreaking Moments, and Lasting Memories
Next week on Days of our Lives, we officially say farewell to John Black and his portrayer of 38 years, the late Drake Hogestyn, in a set of episodes that is sure to be heartbreaking, heartwarming, and memorable.
DAYS viewers witnessed earlier this week, the death of John Black as he passed away following injuries sustained in the warehouse explosion in his heroic effort to get the miracle drug to save Bo (Peter Reckell). In the twist of fate, John died a hero, while Bo woke up out of his coma and has another chance at life.
In episodes airing June 9-June 13 on Peacock, John’s loved ones gather for his funeral. Attendees include: Brady (Eric Martsolf), Belle (Martha Madison), Paul (Christopher Sean), Carrie (Christie Clark), Eric (Greg Vaughan), Shane (Charles Shaughnessy), Abe (James Reynolds), Steve (Stephen Nichols), Kayla (Mary Beth Evans), Andrew (Colton Little), and Roman (Josh Taylor). And of course, Marlena (Deidre Hall), and Bo and Hope (Kristian Alfonso), among others.
Photo: JPI
Peacock and Days of our Lives have released their latest promo which is entitled, aptly “Swing For The Fences,” which was Hogestyn’s signature phrase.
Earlier this week, during the Michael Fairman Channel’s livestream tribute to Drake Hogestyn, Eric Martsolf and Martha Madison spoke on what fans will see during the funeral episodes.
Photo: JPI
“People shouldn’t be afraid to tune into it, shared Martsolf. “It has a beautiful celebratory feeling to it as well. Dare I say, even humorous at times. So fans, please, as a tribute to one of the biggest soap studs around tune in and watch it because he would want that.”
“We all shot the funeral before he (Drake) passed away, but I think we all knew that it was imminent, recalled Madison. “I remember doing the funeral and I barely remember any of it. It was like an out of body (experience). I was a total wreck. I forget the acting. I don’t know what it’s gonna look like, but I was snottin’ through the whole thing. ”
Photo: JPI
“It was just people that loved him pouring their hearts out,” responded Martsolf. “And I’m looking forward to to seeing it again. I want to witness it again and feel it again, because I know I was exhausted after those days. Just emotionally, my heart, my head, we were holding onto it. Everyone was holding hands. Oh, my God! Everyone’s hands were white. Everyone was just trying to get through. But to sum it up, it was very hard, but very worthwhile. And I’m so glad that we were able to do it.”
Photo: JPI
According to the official DAYS spoilers for the week: Monday, June 9, Salem prepares to say goodbye to John Black. Tuesday, June 10, John’s funeral service begins. Wednesday, June 11, John’s funeral service begins. Thursday, June 12, Marlena and John’s friends reminisce at John’s wake.
Now below, take a look at the heart-tugging promo. Then let us know, are you looking forward to DAYS paying homage and tribute to the iconic John Black and the late Drake Hogestyn? Share your thoughts in the comment section, and in case you missed it, check out our livestream tribute to Drake below.
I’ve tuned in for the past few weeks for the first time in a few years. Although I am a faithful GH fan, the understated acting of Marlena is beautiful to watch. I have said the Nancy Lee Grahn deserves the Emmy for her scenes after Sam’s death. But, Deidra is knocking it out of the park. It would be so great to see Deidra in the Best Actress noms.
I miss all of the returning cast members, especially Hope. Paul and Carrie.
Fortunately Nancy Lee Grahn is competing for the 2024 judging year for the scenes involving Sam’s death, and Deidre Hall would be in theory competing for the 2025 judging year for this month’s performances.
My heart goes out to the cast and crew I forgot that they film so far ahead imagine what they were all going thru ! I hope I’m the Emmy’s next year they clean up. Drake was one of the good guys . Did you ever hear that guy say a mean word about anyone? I wonder if the other soaps can say the same.
Where is Will during the funeral he has been there for John’s hospital stay and death
I love Paul, but really, Will or Johnny should have been holding the rose. I know they were grandchildren and not blood related, but they were Sami’s children and the rose was for her.
The flowers were for John and Marlena’s children. Paul is John’s child. Sami’s children aren’t siblings to Carrie, Eric, Brady and Belle. This is John’s service, not Sami’s. It is about John, not Sami. John, not Sami. John.
It’s about who?
You would have people believe it’s about Sami because that’s what you believe.
More casting news from Days of Our Lives, and for now, the soap opera seems to be breaking their new additions to Salem via their Instagram account. Now comes word and picture on August 24, that General Hospital and The Young and the Restless alum Brytni Sarpy has joined DAYS!
The Peacock soap opera’s Instagram account, showed a photo of Sarpy standing in front of her dressing room in the hallways of Days of Our Lives’ studios. The caption read, “Someone new is checking into Salem… Welcome Brytni Sarpy to the Days of our Lives family! Stay tuned.”
The casting of Sarpy comes on the heels of the announcement of Sydney Malakeh coming to the show in September, and earlier this year General Hospital favorite, Sofia Mattsson (ex-Sasha Gilmore, GH) joining the show in a mystery role when she began taping back around the end of March of this year. Now Sarpy is the “mystery role” category too!
In addition, the Days of Our Lives social team dropped a video ditty of the cast spoofing Love Island, where Sarpy appears as the new “bombshell” of the villa. Other cast members such as Rob Scott Wilson (Alex), Abigail Klein (Abigail), Casey Moss (JJ), Sal Stowers (Lani), Paul Telfer (Xander) and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah) pop-up in it too, among others.
Photo: JPI
SOAP HOPPING
Soap fans first met Sarpy when she played Valerie Spencer, the niece of Luke (Anthony Geary) and Bobbie Spencer (Jackie Zeman) on General Hospital back in 2015. She made her final appearance on the series back in 2019 to join the cast of The Young and the Restless in the role of Elena Dawson.
Elena was introduced as a love interest for Devon Winters (Bryton James). She later cheated on him with his cousin Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic). Elena began to be back-burned by 2023 with Sarpy’s last on-screen appearance in Genoa City in November of 2024.
Due to Days of Our Lives nearly year in advance tape schedule, viewers will have to wait till sometime in the early summer of 2027 to see Brytni’s arrival in Salem.
So, happy to see Brytni Sarpy has landed another soap role? Now that she is at DAYS, who you think she might be playing and paired with? Put on your casting director hats and let us know via the comment section.
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Days Of Our Lives
Sydney Malakeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
There’s a new gal coming to Salem, or is she new and a recast? That’s what inquiring minds from Days of Our Lives fans have been trying to figure out since the Peacock soap opera dropped an Instagram video heralding actress‘ Sydney Malakeh‘s arrival in Salem.
The soap did confirm that viewers will first see Malakeh on the September 9 episode. In the video, Malakeh is seen going set to set from her dressing room and in to the halls of Days of Our Lives studios.
What we do know id that Sydney has been acting professionally for 6 years and had appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Apple TV’s Shrinking and the HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Plenty of Malakeh’s DAYS castmates jumped into the comment thread with positive emojis symbols or written excitement including: Paul Telfer (Xander), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), Sal Stowers (Lani), Conner Floyd (Chad), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Christie Clark (Carrie) and more now that fans will finally see her on-air. Since Days of Our Lives tapes 10-11 months in advance, Sydney would have started taping the show sometime back in 2025.
DAYS fans think perhaps because the actress’ name is Sydney that she might be playing the grown-up daughter of Sami and EJ. That character hasn’t bee on the canvas since 2021.
So, who do you think Sydney Malakeh might be playing on Days of Our Lives? Drop your casting director thoughts via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
Peacock Hikes Subscription Rates for Fourth Time in Four Years; ‘Days of Our Lives’ Fans Sound Off
While recently the streaming service Peacock reported turning a profit for its first time since its infancy, now comes word that the company is raising their prices for all customers, and in some cases it stared today on August 18.
The news of the subscription rate increases marks the fourth time the NBCUniversal streaming platform has done so in four years. So, on August 18, Peacock is increasing the prices for new or returning subscribers and customers, while current subscribers will see the rate increase on or after September 17 depending on their billing cycle when they initially signed up.
Here is the new pricing to follow along: Peacock Premium (which includes ads) will be $12.99/month, up two dollars from $10.99; Peacock Premium Plus will be $19.99/month, up three dollars increase from $16.99; and the Peacock Select tier (which includes current and past seasons of NBC and Bravo shows but excludes movies, live sports and Peacock originals) will increase a dollar from $7.99 to $8.99/month.
Photo: JPI
SUBSCRIBERS CONTINUE TO PAY MORE ACROSS THE STREAMER LANDSCAPE
It was back in June that the streamer reported that aid subscribers were up to 48 million adding a 2 million net gain during Q2 in of 2026. The subscription price hikes are rampant now in the entertainment streaming industry where over the last two years for example, Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+ have all raised their fees to consumers.
Peacock’s tier-levels feature not only Days of Our Lives, but reality hits such as The Traitors and Love Island USA, Bravo series, and a vault of Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, The Real Housewives franchise, and Below Deck episodes as well. Pecock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to sports and live events, as well.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES SUBSCRIBERS HAD A FEW CHOICE WORDS FOR PEACOCK
As Days of Our Lives fans know, the soap opera moved from NBC to the streamer back in September of 2022 after 57 years on broadcast television. When the news hit X on the price increase, DAYS fans had a lot to say about it. Here are just a few of the comments below:
“I can’t believe Peacock and can’t come to a deal with Cordya to air old episodes of #Days. That alone would bring a ton of subscribers,” to If Peacock actually cared about #Days of Our Lives, gave the show the budget it needs for better sets, cameras, background actors and enough time to tell proper stories, I wouldn’t mind paying more. If the money actually showed on screen, the higher price would be worth it,” to “I will continue to pay for a Peacock subscription as long as #Days is on it, but did we know there was another price increase coming?” and more.
So, what do you think of the new price hike increase to watch Days of Our Lives and your other favorite shows and events on Peacock? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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