'Days of Our Lives' Will Be Renewed Despite Worries, NBC Chairman Says

Despite concerns about the future of Days of Our Lives last fall, NBC Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy confirmed Saturday that the daytime soap opera will continue for another season. News broke in November that the entire cast was released from their contracts, but the show was renewed for Season 56 days later. The show premiered in 1965, and it will continue for the foreseeable future.

"We're in the middle of knowing very soon [whether] Days of Our Lives is going to carry on," Telegdy told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, California, reports Variety. "We love it. Millions of Americans watch it every week. … I know this will be good news for the fans. I know that someone [at the network is] going, 'You can't say that,' but we are of course carrying on with Days of Our Lives."

In early November, longtime Days fans were shocked by a report that the entire cast was released from their contracts before the show was set to go on "indefinite hiatus." Sources close to the production tried to assure fans the story was blown out of proportion though, and the show would get renewed.

"The show shoots months and months in advance and they've gotten so far ahead that the cast was prepared ages ago for the fact that they would all be put on hiatus until closer to pick-up (also known as renewal) time, for scheduling reasons," a source told PEOPLE in November. "The show will almost definitely get renewed and this was not news to literally anyone on the show, nor is anyone truly concerned."

Then on Nov. 22, Deadline reported that Corday Productions' Ken Corday told the cast the show was picked up for a 56th season. The deal was not complete at the time though, as the producers were still in talks with NBC to get the green light.

Days of Our Lives is one of only four remaining daytime soap operas, along with ABC's General Hospital and the CBS shows The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. More than 13,000 episodes have aired since the show launched on Nov. 8, 1965 and the show retains a dedicated fan base. In fact, in November, the show received an online spin-off called Last Blast Reunion, featuring cast members from the 2000 season reprising their roles.

Days is produced by Corday Productions, in association with Sony Pictures TV, and was created by the late Ted and Betty Corday. The current executive producers include Ken Corday, Geg Meng and Albert Alarr, with Ron Carlivati as the lead writer.

In 2019, the series won Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series (Kyler Pettis), Outstanding Casting, Outstanding Music Direction and Composition and Outstanding Makeup. Days' most recent win for Outstanding Drama Series came at the 2018 Daytime Emmys.

Photo credit: NBCUniversal