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In what can only be described as a stunning, unexpected announcement, Days of our Lives star Alison Sweeney has announced this will be her final year on the long-running NBC soap.
The 37-year old actress taped an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing later today, during which she announced she will depart DAYS at the conclusion of her contract. .
“So I’ve been on ‘Days of our Lives’ for 21 years, I’m celebrating my 21st year this year. I’ve decided that it’s going to be my last year on the show,” said Sweeney to DeGeneres. “I’ve been on ‘Days of Our Lives’ since I was 16 years old and I have never had more than a two-week vacation in that whole time. I mean, it’s so awesome. I love Sami, I love Salem, I love my job, I love daytime, I love the fans, I love everything about it.”
She assures fans that she will be on the show for one more year, through 2014. Given Days of our Lives production schedule, Sweeney is expected to air well into the fall. The actress will finish taping sometime in May.
Alison Sweeney says her decision to exit is a result of wanting to spend more time with her children, Ben and Megan. In addition to acting and hosting The Biggest Loser, she also directs episodes of Days of our Lives and is an accomplished author..
The actress envisions Sami’s ending as kind of a “It would be awesome to have some sort of happy ending but I also think that Sami deserves some sort of very twisted, like ‘Breaking Bad’ ending.”
Needless to say, this is going to be a devastating blow to Days of our Lives. I can’t imagine Days of our Lives without Sami Brady and Alison Sweeney. Wow.
See the clip of Sweeney’s announcement below:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etCRBkFnY-A]
[…] go of the mantle. Hugely popular in his own right, Scott and leading lady Alison Sweeney (also departing this year) created one of the series’ most popular and controversial pairings in EJ and […]
We love you Allison and will enjoy your last days at Days! The huge fan base wants a happy ending with you and James. Most of all I want to see you and James get an Oscar for a block busting movie performance! We have loved you together on Days and feel that you have made each other better actors. I think both of you have great talent that comes along once in a life time. I can not wait to see where the future takes each of you!
Sad to see her go but understand I have 2 kids the same age and would hate not spending much time with them. Hope she goes out with a bang, with room for her to come back if she decides. No recast b/c that would be a disgrace to Alison and the character of Sami.
Sami leaving next year will mean the end of Days. She is who brings suspense to the show especially since she admitted her love
to EJ. I can understand her need to have more time with her children. She will be sadly missed. There is only one Sami Brady.
Alison Sweeney will be successful in whatever she decides to do.
Awww
This so sad. Alison Sweeney aka Sami is leaving Salem. She is Amazing.