Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Susan Seaforth Hayes on the Horton Home Set on Fire: “This Was the (Home of the Family) Matriarch and the Patriarch. And Then There’s Tom’s Chair. What Will happen to Dr. Tom’s Chair?”
Coming up on Days of our Lives, what has been teased months ago, will finally stream on the Peacock soap opera. The beloved and iconic Horton house is about to burn possibly to the ground, after it is set on fire on the Friday, February 9th episode.
The story will pick up starting on the Monday, February 12th episode, which will find Julie (Susan Seaforth Hayes) and Chad (Billy Flynn) coming upon the scene as the living room is engulfed in flames.
As it will be revealed, a major vendetta against Chad, is the cause when viewers learn the the fire was no accident. In the major scenes, Doug (the late Bill Hayes, who was still taping episodes at DAYS several months before his passing), Julie, Chad and his kids, all go to safety outside and watch the iconic home burn.
Photo: JPI
Speaking with Soap Opera Digest, Susan Seaforth Hayes previewed the devastating moment and just how hard it hits Julie. “Everybody has come and gone and had experiences there,” Hayes begins. “This was the (home of the family’s) matriarch and the patriarch. And then there’s Tom’s chair. What will happen to Dr. Tom’s chair?”
Hayes adds there is a touching scene when everyone makes it to safety, “There’s a nice sequence outside the house watching the house burn.” She elaborates,”It looks quite hopeless. There are ashes, smoke and filth… It’s a sad heap.”
Photo: JPI
This will wind up being a rebuilding project for Julie and the Horton legacy, as Susan shared, “Julie’s take on it after is determination to not lose the sense of the house, to not lose what was there emotionally.”
Photo: JPI
Look for Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) to step up and provide temporary roof over the heads of her beloved friends and relatives.
Will you be sad to see the iconic Horton home set on fire? Did the set need a face-lift? Comment below.
What a dumb plot – what viewers really want to see a beloved elderly couple’s house go up in flames?
Will it be a Christmas miracle that the ornaments survive? Is there enough money in the budget for a nicer new set?
Assuming this was taped in July as the gap between tape and air on this show is a ridiculous 7 months now (compared to GH which occasionally gets stuff on air 2 weeks after taping). This might have been one of Ron’s last stories before the temporary writers took over.
Just not worth it.
The world today has change so much people now days don’t want the truth about life today’s beliefs r no longer the way they were when this best soap came out Year’s ago. God be with us all
They made a point of mentioning that the ornaments are usually stored in the basement during the recent Helliday season, so maybe that means they won’t burn up in the fire?
I’m the Devil, so I’m obviously used to fires, where I come from. But this one is entirely unnecessary. The ReRon regime has damaged the Horton family enough as it is. Burning down Tom & Alice’s home to advance Redneck Clyde’s drug dealing plot is a bit much.
And, why would they ruin a perfectly good house set? The new ones are all dumpy apartments.
They’ll probably introduce a “value engineered” set that’s less intricate than the traditional one.
It wasn’t a Ron storyline. Just prior to the strike, Ron announced that he had only written up to the Christmas episode. This storyline was written by the replacement writers.
Not sure why you are assuming this was filmed in July. Days films six months in advance, not seven, which would have had this episode filmed in the beginning September.
The fire storyline isn’t going to be about destruction, but instead; rebuilding and looking back at the history of a young Tom and Alice. Rest assured, Julie will rebuild and find the vintage boxes of ornaments.
Leave it to Ron to decimate and destroy the most important meaningful element of the show.
This storyline is horribly upsetting and totally unnecessary! It’s as if Ron and his pack of illiterates are spitting in the faces of all of us who have loved this show and it main characters for almost sixty years!!!! As of now I have not been able to bring myself to watch the devastation!!!! I am very upset and angry and I really wish Ken Corday would fire the entire lot of them!
Now let’s talk about Nicole.!!!!! What the hell are you thinking????? Mr. Corday, Beg her to return! You just might lose what’s left of your audience over this!!!!!!! She must be rehired at full pay!!!!
The irony given the show is literally burning down before our eyes with the terrible writing and the unlawful treatment of Ari and others.
Um…Pissed Off doesn’t even begin to express how I feel about it. Absolutely no good reason to do it. There’s no story worth this. The damage better be minimal. SSH was right in asking “what will happen to Dr. Tom’s chair.” I was thinking about that (of all things, a chair) during last year’s Christmas episode. Tom used to sit in it. After he died, Alice was often seen sitting in it. And Now Doug has occupied it the most. (And now our beloved BH has died.) This living room is historic! This set was one where millions of viewers found comfort. Moving on, growing, whatever ~ if they take that set from us, they are robbing millions of people of the solace they find even in an imaginary set. The stories may be imaginary, but the effects are not. Shame on whomever thought this was a neat idea!
That is a great response !
I agree with you 100% I’ve watched it since I was 8 or 9 years old and I am 51 now I remember Alice and Tom and how Alice always helped everybody even if she had to break the law just a little bit behind times back even the tunnel under shenanigans that she help people hide out in there was no reason to burn the house down none whatsoever
To ruin a set that was iconic and a major part of Days of our Lives is beyond stupidity. Why ? So many viewers and fans livid about this. Afraid this Horton Fire not only send the house to burn but the entire show itself
They destroyed Victor’s house set – all characters are forced into that small windowless den set, no foyer, no royal doors… Over the years Rafe’s house and kitchen has gotten smaller and smaller, for some reason everyone on the show sleeps in the same bedroom – look at the “doors”… Maybe the Horton’s will buy the hotel (hey wait… Julie owns a B and B in town – where did that go?)… Sure seems Marlina and John and Patch and Kala live in the same “set” with one small kitchen switch…. The DeMara mansion is somewhat in tact…. I only watch the show once a week… perhaps one day too many.
I don’t think we have seen Julie’s B&B since Gabi pushed her down the stairs and she ended up with Stefan DiMera’s original heart (which Gabi then controlled with a wi-fi equipped pacemaker)
What a terrible idea, how can they destroy Tom and Alice’s home it has so many memories for everyone
yes it will be sad
I don’t understand it either. They moved to peacock so that they would get more audience. They wanted to make sure that we’d all want to watch. But now they’re burning down major sets I mean what’s next the Brady pub?
To maximize product placement, the hourglass will be replaced by an Apple Watch
Burning the iconic set is shortsighted. Has anyone producing and writing soaps today studied what the greats did in the heyday? Strong storytelling is better than gimmicks. The webs foolishly cut back what so many people love about daytime drama, then punish viewers when their budget cuts and programming decisions don’t work. Everyone has monkeyed with the genre except for viewers. Thanks.
They should not have burned down the house. Maybe it could have been going through renovations so not everything was there. Dr. Tom’s chair is probably not very comfortable all these years later. LOL It is sad though.
Ken Corday seems determined to burn down DAYS entirely one way or another so why not the house.
The house didn’t have to be destroyed, but it does happen in real life. Maybe the original house plans could be found somewhere and the house rebuilt to exact likeness with some enhancement .
Days Of Our Lives
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Franco LoPresti Opens Up About ‘Days of our Lives’ Debut as Dante Vitali
Next week on Monday, September 14 will mark the first appearance in Salem of Franco LoPresti in his new Days of our Lives role of Dante Vitali.
Heated Rivalry fans now LoPresti very well from his part as hockey player Cliff Marleau in the series first season. (No word yet if Cliff appears in season 2).
Now in a conversation with TV Insider, DAYS fans will learn that LoPresti is on the soap for a limited run. No timetable was given.
Photo: Corday Productions, Inc
When LoPresti does burst onto the scene come Monday, Dante makes quite the impact as Franco LoPresti explains. It seems that viewers will first see him in scenes in Monte Carlo at a poker table with none other than Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier). However, Dante will come to Salem to talk to the Brady family about his supposed fiancée Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney).
Franco shared, “Dante was born and grew up in Italy and educated at this pretty top-tier English boarding school. He then went on to build his own dynasty in finance, all the while trying to distance himself from the Vitali name (as viewers know Tamara Braun played his cousin Ava Vitali).”
“But at the core of Dante, there’s definitely an old-school quality to him”, continued LoPresti. “He’s super passionate, he’s sincere and incredibly generous, but he’s also someone that you probably shouldn’t underestimate. Loyalty is something that means a lot to him. As Dante enters Salem, I think the audience will get to slowly peel back those layers and discover what’s really driving him. So, I’m excited for Days fans to go on that ride with Dante.”
Photo: Almay
As it turns out, LoPresti taped his episodes of DAYS starting back in November 2025 which happened to be weeks before Heated Rivalry became a smash hit.
Franco recalled, “It’s so funny because I thought my episodes would air in a month (on Days of our Lives). But I found out it was nine to 10 months and I was like, ‘I gotta wait that long?!’ So, I’ve been biting my nails, trying not to think about it, and I think it’s actually kind of helped because now it’s here and it’s all coming at me from all different angles. I’m nervous. I’m excited, and I just can’t wait to see it all come together. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had for sure.”
In his personal life, Franco just had his first child with wife, actress Emily Alatalo, just a weeks ago on August 23rd when they welcomed their daughter, Stella into the world.
So, looking forward to seeing Franco LoPresti’s debut come Monday? What do you think about the fact that it’s being reported as a limited run? Do you think Dante and Sami have a chance on-screen or off-screen to be a happy couple? What do you really think brings Dante to Salem sans Sami? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
In a metaphor for the start of the school year and their upcoming anniversary in November, Days of our Lives revealed its “Class of Season 62,” with a very clever yearbook montage on their social media handles, welcoming new cast members, while paying respect to the veterans and “class”-iying the other characters in Salem.
The official Days of our Lives Instagram account shared on the posting, “The Class of Salem Season 62 has arrived. Familiar faces, new names and plenty of personality. Flip through our yearbook for a peek at this year’s class.”
Let’s take a look at how they broke it all down: The Salem Yearbook starts with saying “another unforgettable season,” with some group pics, and then we dovetail into Salem’s new class which features: Sydney Malakeh (Sydney DiMera), Brandon Butler (Mason Whitfield), Angelica Nero (Victoria Kiriakis), Cole Gersmeyer (Thomas DiMera) and Lorelei Olivia Mote (Rachel Black).
Photo: Days of our Lives
Next up, are the likes of: Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez), John-Paul Lavoisier (Philip Kiriakis), Tyler Joseph Andrews (Theo Carver) and LeeAnn Hopkins (Joy Wesley). Then, in the “Drama Club” section are: Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera) and AnnaLynne Cipriani (Cat Greene).
Following the ‘Recess” section with some group snaps, comes “Homeroom Highlights” with: Abigail Klein (Stephanie Johnson), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black), Rob Scott Wilson (Alex Kiriakis), Lamon Archey (Eli Grant) and Sal Stowers (Lani Price Grant).
The “Salem Spectator” section features: Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera), Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), Stowers again, and Ashely Puzemis (Holly Jonas). In the “Afternoon Sweets” section look for: Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis) and Linsey Godfey (Sarah Horton), Emily O’ Brien (Gwen Rizchech), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera/Susan Banks), Brandon Beemer (Shawn Brady), plus Jackée Harry (Paulina Price).
Towards the end of the yearbook, veteran performers such as: Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson), Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) and Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) are featured, plus Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), James Reynolds (Abe Carver) and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) and Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Kiraikis) with her on-screen daughter, Linsey Godfrey.
The Salem Yearbook comes to a conclusion noting “Big things happening in Salem” and to tune-in on Peacock, where we also find Jacob Martinez (Javi Hernandez), Maggie Carney (Rita Lesley), and a host of other favorites previewing what’s to come this fall.
So, what do you think of the Days of our Lives Class of Season 62? Looking forward to seeing what happens in Salem? Did you like the yearbook concept for promotional tune-in? Let us know via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writers Give Fall 2026 Preview: Marlena and Stefano’s Chess Mystery, The Arrivals of Dante and Sydney, Romance Drama for Sarah and Others
As summer comes to a close with Labor Day weekend, the former Days of our Lives co-head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have given their annual fall season preview in episodes taped some 10-11 months ago.
As previously reported this past July, Ryan Quan returned to Days of our Lives and is now co-head writing the show with Ford, while Cwikly is now a consultant. The new co-head writing teams stories will not be seen till late spring/early summer 2027.
So for now, the stories pick up from where we left off with Cwikly and Ford promising via TV Insider, “Fall in Salem is full of twists and turns and secrets and surprises. Dots connect in unexpected ways as seemingly unrelated threads converge.”
Photo: JPI
CHECKMATE?
In one of the top mystery’s, Marlena is still having troubling memories and she will have another one on the Monday, September 7 episode. Meanwhile, her daughter Belle (Martha Madison) has gotten very close to Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) and as pictured here, the two smooch while in Italy searching for answers to the chess set that Stefano DiMera gifted th the late John Black and Marlena (Deidre Hall) that has some significance.
The head scribes share, “The (chess board) mystery and its fallout are central to the fall stories. Chad and Belle follow the clues to a discovery that changes both of their families, and Salem, forever. Marlena worries that their investigation/the chess set may be a Pandora’s box that has been opened. And she is right…”
Newcomers are also the order of the day for Cwikly and Ford, this fall. We have already seen the debut as Brandon Butler as Mason Whitfield, and next week you can add as previously reported Sydney Malakeh on the Thursday September 1o episode as Sydney DiMera, followed by the the Monday, September 14 arrival of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali.
Photo: Corday Productions
Paula and Jeanne Marie expressed on the incoming Dante, “The arrival of a stranger who will set the whole town on its ear. The character has several strong ties to the current canvas and impacts many storylines.” What will Dante be up to? We know Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) had mentioned in 2025 she got engaged to the man, but that was off-screen.
LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH OR THE ONE YOU WANT?
In the romance department, the triangle between Brady/Sarah/Xander heats up with a very conflicted Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). The head writers reveal, “When Sarah faces attacks personally and professionally, Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) work together to help and protect her. Sarah’s new love for Brady is challenged by her lingering love for Xander. Xander risks everything for Sarah.”
In addition look for, “Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip (John-Paul Lavoiser) to draw closer as he tries to save the family company and home.”
Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) will also be returning at some point this fall and she won’t be alone. Who might she bring with her? And from the looks of the Peacock promo for next week’s DAYS, someone is wearing Stefano’s ring around their finger, but who … and how does it all tie in this fall?
So, what do you think about some of the highlights coming up this fall on Days of our Lives per the series head writers? Does anything float your boat or pique your interest? If so, what? Let us know via the comment section. But first, check out the action next week on DAYS in the promo entitled “Bag of Tricks” below.
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