Drake Hogestyn News

On January 23, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn will lead Days of Our Lives, as Marlena Evans and John Black bid farewell to their loved ones in Salem.

With John's memories faltering, what sort of goodbye with this exit entail?

Executive producer Ken Cordray isn't revealing it entirely, but he has released a statement reading:

"There is never an end when a couple leaves happily. They're [John and Marlena] not dead. Characters have left and come back [before]."

Shocking news, Days of Our Lives fans:

Long-time stars Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn are the first casualties of the show's huge budget cuts

"The couple will be happily reunited after a long period of angst and separation and will be off-screen after January for an unknown period of time. It was a very tough decision to make," Executive Producer Ken Corday told Soap Opera Digest.

We'd like to wish a happy birthday to Drake Hogestyn.

The man that plays John Black on Days of Our Lives turn 55 today. We wish him the very best!

A few comings and goings on your favorite soap operas...

• Drake Hogestyn (pictured below) returns to Days of Our Lives tomorrow as the not-so-dead John Black.

• Tari Signor is back on One Life to Live as the unstable Margaret Cochran January 17.

• Patrick Duffy leaves The Bold and the Beautiful next week.

Supposedly off the show, Drake Hogestyn is about to prove that death is no match for John Black on Days of Our Lives!

The Days of Our Lives message boards are lighting up over the possibility that the show has fired long-time star Drake Hogestyn.

But for now, it's unconfirmed.

"I haven't heard that rumor," said a baffled Peter Reckell. "I can't say this is true."

One piece of gossip says new co-Executive Producer Ed Scott addressed the cast and crew recently, saying how excited he was to have come on board, but added ominously: "If you pout, you are out."

Along those lines, Hogestyn has made no secret of his frustration with the lack of story Days of Our Lives has given him this year, saying at his June 2nd fan event: "I've got six months left on my contract. At some point everybody is going to leave the show."

Considering Hogestyn's popularity with cast, crew and fans, no one can believe they would actually kill John for real.

"I have no answers except to say how much I absolutely love Drake," said Alison Sweeney. "What a wonderful addition he is to the show. He started way before me, so we worked together for 15 years. I love him dearly, like a father."