Days of Our Lives Anniversary Exclusive: Ken Corday Teases a ‘Return to Romance and Passion’ — Plus, Six Decades Worth of Classic Moments
There are big things afoot in little Salem, and Days of Our Lives has an awful lot to celebrate. And while 2025 will see the show marking an incredible 60 year run, executive producer Ken Corday is looking even further down the line. “The fact that we’re renewed through September of 2026 is great,” he tells us. “But there’s always something bigger and better out there! I’m excited about what’s coming up in Season 60, but I’m also thinking about Season 65 and beyond.”
There are, without doubt, a few tears to be shed along the way. “This has been a very, very difficult year, losing Bill Hayes [Doug] and Drake Hogestyn [John] within seven months of each other. That will drive us to do some very big shows toward the middle of next year. It’s difficult, but you endure, you move on and you see their legacy as their children and grandchildren move into the future.”
It’s no secret that the show recently swapped headwriters, and pretty much every cast member attending the recent Day of Days event was excited about their material, which will start airing next spring. “Some very powerful moments are approaching in the summer of next year,” says the exec, a twinkle in his eye. “We see a lot of familiar characters returning. I can’t tell you the reason why, but it will be momentous, especially as we get to August of 2025 and celebrate our 60th anniversary.”
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The show is also re-focusing on what it does best, moving away from some of the more over-the-top elements which have taken center stage in recent years. “We’re trying to root the show in much more of an interpersonal reality, with a return to romance and passion more than science fiction.”
With the recent renewal of Days and a whole new soap about to launch when Beyond the Gates hits CBS in a few months, Corday believes the future of the genre is bright “and always will be. People want their stories. They want it every day as opposed to weekly or ten times a year. That’s what we do, and what we will continue to do!”