Kristian Alfonso Confirms Days of Our Lives Return for Bill Hayes Tribute — But How Long Will Hope Stay in Salem?
Hope Brady is coming back to Salem. Kristian Alfonso is set to reprise her iconic Days of Our Lives role as part of the Peacock drama’s upcoming tribute to the late Bill Hayes, who played beloved Salem resident Doug Williams for more than five decades prior to his death earlier this year.
“My return is very bittersweet, because it is the end of an era with Bill gone,” Alfonso tells TV Insider, which first reported the news of Hope’s visit. “So to return to Days is very sad. I am appreciative that they came to me to include me in their series of shows honoring Doug and I’m very happy to see everyone, but I’m entering the studio with a heavy heart.”
Hope, a role Alfonso has played off and on since debuting in 1983, is Doug’s daughter, making her return for his memorial service all the more devastating. Though she didn’t get to work with Hayes during her most recent visit to Salem in 2023, she has decades worth of memories to cherish.
“I remember my first scenes with him,” Alfonso says, recalling Hayes as a “very loving, very welcoming” scene partner. “That he was very talented and an incredible actor and an icon, that all goes without saying, but my personal relationship and my working relationship with Bill, it was home. Doing the scenes with Bill, I felt like I was with my dad because there was so much warmth and reality.”
It doesn’t sound like Hope will be relocating back to Salem permanently, but Alfonso will neither confirm nor deny any future plans she may have with the Peacock soap. All she’ll say for now is: “I feel incredibly grateful that I ever had the opportunity to be a part of such an incredible show and the legacy that it holds. I’m very blessed. I’ll always be very blessed, regardless if I ever return to do more shows or finish the storyline or not.”
In other words, stay tuned!
Now filming, Days‘ tribute to Hayes is set to air in December. Alfonso is one of several Days vets returning for the occasion, including Victoria Konefal as Ciara, Brandon Beemer as Shawn, Sal Stowers as Lani, Lamon Archey as Eli, Martha Madison as Belle, Maree Cheatham as Marie, Matthew Ashford as Jack and Melissa Reeves as Jennifer.
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Take that all you negative nellies, lol. The number of fans having hissy fits, convinced that KA had been snubbed, not returning, just because she wasn’t seen in any of the photos from the set of her fathers funeral…..Hate to say I told ya so!!!
The briefer Alfonso visit the BETTER and that goes x1000 for dreadful Melissa Reeves!
I wonder how these tribute shows work. Do the guests receive “guest star” pay for their episodes or do they donate their time to be involved in honor of those that have passed? As actors you would assume they’re getting paid, but with a finite budget the money has to come from somewhere.
My guess is that most of them get paid scale.
Maree Cheatham’s planned return means her elapsed time on the show, including breaks, beginning with her appearance in episode #1 back in 1965, will be just under 60 years, which must be an American TV series record.
Poor Marie only gets to visit when someone kicks the bucket.
That is literally true!
Maree Cheatham continues being booked and busy and is still lovely and energetic. Alfonso can only wish her career could ever be so successful!
Hope’s okay, but we don’t need another senior citizen.
She lost me as a fan when she pouted & left the show in 2020 because they were writing her out for a few months before giving her a big storyline. She stated she’d never return. I guess after only getting a couple of comedy episodes and one Hallmark movie [thanks to Ali Sweeney], she changed her mind. Plus I’ve read in several places that she’s not very nice to her fans.
That left a sour taste in my mouth too. I knew once she got over her pout that she’d be back.
So, if your boss told you “We`re kicking you out without pay for half a year, and then maybe bring you back for another crappy stroryline” you would be just fine with that? Seriously, your comment brings out that old question: Why are woman usually the first ones to stab each other in the back?
Of course no one would be fine with that. It’s how she handled it that is the issue. She went on a press tour disparaging the show for weeks. It was very unprofessional. Not to mention unflattering. And no one said anything about “kicking you out” and the return storyline being crappy. Not even Kristian.
So it is ok if you are treated badly, as long as you do not tell anyone about it? If more people did that, the old showrunner would still be around to terrorise the cast and crew.
I’m so glad Kristian Alfonso is back for the Bill Hayes/Doug Williams tribute. I hate that we won’t see it until December, but DAYS has such a ridiculous lead time in taping.
But that “ridiculous” lead time did enable Days to stay on the air continuously during the Covid shutdown, the only soap to do so.
Why isn’t Bo coming back? The show needs Bo.
I can’t wait to see everyone back on screen even if its for a day or two ut the reason that they are coming back is sad. I’ve watched this show for around 45yrs and now I’m writing this it makes me feel even older and more sad but to have this awesome good bye to a great actor is perfect. I didn’t see Peter Rockwell name on here but I did read he was coming back with Hope so I hope that is not a rumor because having him with his fancy face to say good bye together is going to be incredible.
I dont get all the bad comments about KA returning, for a day or a week or a year .. be honest her shows will push there ratings thru the roof she was and is a huge draw to that show . She is the star 🌟 so she got her feelings hurt and decided to leave the show I get it she had every right to feel that way after all the years she spent there. Haven’t we all made rash discussions at some time in our life ? Hope is a beloved character she gives the show merit and history and a since of family where it all began as well as Missy and Marie its those characters that are the foundation that days of our lives was built on Missy and Kristen represents Mr and Mrs H anyone who truly are fans of the show no this. So I say welcome home hope ,Jen, Jack, Marie and any more of the true days of our lives cast. You were truly missed .
Oh, and if they would all return permanently! They will all bring class and dignity back to the show! It has suffered from poor writing, shallow characters, and just lower standards since they left.