The daytime drama Days of Our Lives will feature a devastating moment on the show when fans have to bid farewell to their favorite character, John Black. The DOOL spoilers suggest that John’s journey has come to an end, and soon his loved ones will have to bid him goodbye.
But fans must be wondering how they filmed John’s funeral and memorial scenes when actor Drake Hogestyn passed away in September 2024. To answer all the questions DOOL’s Executive Producer Ken Corday has made significant revelations during an interview, so stay tuned till the end for all the details!
Drake Signed Off John’s Exit!
The shows and dramas are taped in advance, which indicates that the upcoming John’s funeral and memorial episodes were shot several months ago. When Drake was alive, but why? Recently DOOL’s Executive Producer Ken Corday appeared in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, where he answered all the questions on John’s abrupt ending.
Actor Drake Hogestyn was struggling with pancreatic cancer and could not join the shooting, but it was hard for the makers to keep John away from the screen for too long. Ken emphasized that they had to make a swift yet hard decision. So, they decided to kill off the character while Drake was away in medical care.
Ken Corday told SOD, “I made the choice to tell the story. John had been absent from the show for the last nine months, so we needed a reason to explain it all.” He further added, “It was a tough decision since all of us hoped for Drake’s comeback after a speedy recovery”. To resolve the dilemma, Ken revealed that he offered his plan to Drake, and after he signed off on John’s departure, they shot his last scenes on the show.”
They Wanted To Bring John Back!
Ken also explained that Days was open to the thought of bringing John back to life after Drake’s recovery and availability for filming. But sadly, he could not survive the disease, and those plans could not be worked upon. He said that writing off John’s character beforehand was rather controversial and difficult. Stephen Nichols even protested the thought and agreed to the storyline only after Drake signed it off.
As for Deidre Hall, during her interview with SOD, she revealed that performing the storylines for John’s death was tough, as Hogestyn was alive and battling the disease strongly. However, the actress revealed, “I kept my real-life emotions away while doing my part”.
It is a relief that Drake agreed to the storyline and was respected all the while. John’s last scene will pay tribute to both the actor and the character, and fans will be part of the process. As Deidre calls DOOL a family show which celebrates and mourns together like a family and DOOL fans are part of the family.
The speculation is rife that before John’s tragic fate is disclosed, he will go missing on Days. To witness how the plot unfolds, stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily as we bring fresh Days of Our Lives spoilers and updates to you at the earliest. Do share your thoughts on this storyline in the comments.
