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.

CBS daytime dramas, Beyond the Gates and The Young and the Restless go head-to-head when two featured cast members from each show compete on the syndicated game show, Flip Side for its season 3 premiere.

Hosted by Jaleel White (best known as Steve Urkel from Family Matters) and filmed near Atlanta, Georgia, daytime drama fans should circle Monday, September 14th when you can catch: representing Team BTG, Colby Nixon (Kat Richardson) and RhonniRose Mantilla (Chelsea Hamilton), and Representing Team Y&R, Bryton James (Devon Hamilton) and Lily Winters (Christel Khalil).

In the upcoming soap opera showdown, the competing teams will win prize money for the charities of their choosing, when White tests both teams on how they think opposite groups of people feel about the same topic, and to see which team will make it to the final round.

Photo: CBS

Flip Side’s loglines shares that it’s “an original, laugh out-loud survey-based game show that pits two teams of contestants against each other, testing them on how they think opposite groups of people feel about the same topic. The teams compete for a shot at $10,000 by guessing the top answers based on anonymous surveys – which can be provocative, surprising, and often humorous. Throughout each episode, host Jaleel White brings a fun and comedic energy to the show while also guiding the contestants through the questions.”

Season three leans deeper into exploring relationships, dating, social behaviors and everyday life situations that viewers can relate to. Season three also features multiple celebrity episodes benefiting charity kicking off with the CBS soap showdown.

In addition to airing Monday to Friday in syndication on stations across the country, Flip Side has a second run on Game Show Network. So, check your local listings for times in your area, or catch Flip Side on GSN.

So, who do you think wins the soap opera showdown between BTG’s Colby and RhonniRose vs. Y&R’s Bryton and Christel? Make your picks in the comment section. But first, check out a bit of the action from the episode below.

 

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Colin Egglesfield, who played Josh Madden, the biological son of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) on All My Children from 2005-2009, and who has been recently rumored to have joined the cast of Beyond the Gates, (although unconfirmed by the CBS soap thus far) shared an incredibly touching and powerful message on Friday, September 11 recalling the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

In a harrowing real-life story, Colin revealed via his Instagram, that he had lived right across the street in an apartment building across from the Twin Towers which were under attacked when a plane crashed into the North and then South Tower.

The actor’s post comes as this morning, America is remembering those who we have lost and the tragedy of losing the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City.

Photo: CEgglesfield

Egglesfield shared, “24 years ago, I was living at Ground Zero on September 11th, 2001. There are certain moments in life that divide everything into before and after. For me, 9/11 was one of those moments. I will never forget the fear, the confusion, the smoke, or the overwhelming realization of how quickly life can change. But what I remember just as powerfully is the courage.”

9/11 ATTACKS AND THE RESILIENCE OF NEW YORK CITY

Reflecting on the courageous people of New York City on that fateful morning, Colin went on to say, “The firefighters, police officers, paramedics, first responders, volunteers, and everyday people who ran toward danger when every instinct told them to run away. To every first responder who showed up that day, to those who saved lives, to those who lost their lives, and to the families who have carried the weight of that day ever since, thank you. Your bravery, sacrifice, and humanity will never be forgotten.”

As for many people, 9/11 has changed the way we look at life, and how you should live every day as if it’s your last, because of how fragile life truly is.

Colin shared, “September 11th changed the way I look at life. It reminded me that tomorrow is not guaranteed. The phone call you keep meaning to make. The dream you keep putting off. The person you need to tell, “I love you.”The risk you’re afraid to take. The life you keep telling yourself you’ll start living someday. Someday isn’t promised.”

He concluded his 9/11 remembrance with, “So love deeply. Forgive when you can. Tell people what they mean to you. Take the trip. Chase the dream. Be present. Be kind. And have the courage to live the life that is calling you. Today, I remember all those we lost, all those who survived, and all those who ran toward the unimaginable to help someone they had never met. We will never forget. 🇺🇸”

Photo: CEgglesfieldIG

IS COLIN EGGLESFIELD TAPING A ROLE ON BEYOND THE GATES?

Meanwhile, back in July, speculation began circulating when Egglesfield took to Instagram to share a picture from a dressing room. He wrote as the caption, “Can’t say what I’m working on but you’ll find out soon-ish.”

However, that post was since-deleted. Adding more fuel to if Colin has joined Beyond the Gates in a new role was an Instagram Story of him lying on a blue couch. Fans have seen that couch pictured in other snaps emanating from Beyond the Gates’ Assembly Studios in Atlanta.

Eagle-eyed viewers also noticed that several of the Beyond the Gates cast were now following Colin on Instagram including the likes of: Jen Jacob (Ashley), Angela Fairley (Deanna) and Maurice P. Kerry (Randy).

Back in an interview in 2025, Colin, who previously battled prostate and testicular cancer, shared he would be open to come back to the soaps, expressing, “I’d definitely be open to that. I think soap opera is incredibly fun because it’s almost like summer camp. You’re all jumping into this world of high drama. I think the storylines are heightened, so it is fun to play these characters and push the boundaries of relationships.”

You can view Colin’s 9/11 remembrances post and his hear-tugging story of living across the way from the Twin Towers below.

So, what are your remembrances of 9/11 as America marks the attacks 25 years ago? What did you think of Colin’s heartfelt words? Do you think he has joined the cast of Beyond the Gates? Let us know via the comment section.

 

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