BREAKING NEWS: James Read Exits DAYS OF OUR LIVES After Shocking Final Scene

Exclusive Update: Hold onto your seats, Salem fans! Big changes are hitting our favorite town as we bid farewell to one of its most notorious residents. James Read, who brought the deliciously evil Clyde Weston to life for the past decade, has officially wrapped his run on Days of our Lives.

The Final Curtain Falls

Talk about going out with a bang! Clyde’s final appearance aired December 11, where a dramatic confrontation with Catharina led to his shocking demise. After terrorizing Salem since 2014, it seems karma finally caught up with this bad boy.

A Villain We Loved to Hate

Remember when Read first strutted into Salem? The actor revealed to Soap Opera Digest that he never expected his stint to last beyond six months. “I don’t think anybody thought Clyde would be long for Salem,” Read admitted in a 2022 interview. Boy, were they wrong! That short-term role blossomed into a deliciously complex decade-long performance that kept us glued to our screens.

From Hero to Villain

Here’s a fun twist you might not know – before becoming Salem’s resident baddie, Read was known for playing heroes! The actor shared how thrilled he was to sink his teeth into such a different kind of role. “Clyde is not the kind of role that throughout my career people have initially thought of me for,” he explained, noting how his breakthrough role in “North and South” had typecast him as the good guy.

More Than Just a Bad Guy

What made Read’s portrayal so compelling was his ability to make Clyde more than just another mustache-twirling villain. Working alongside soap veteran Lauren Koslow (Kate) early in his run helped him find his footing in the fast-paced world of daytime drama. Their chemistry sparked some of Clyde’s most memorable early scenes.

The End of an Era

From drug kingpin to prison power player, Clyde evolved into one of Salem’s most complex villains. “Any pretense of civility is kind of stripped away,” Read noted about Clyde’s later years, describing how his character found a strange comfort in his prison-based power.

What’s Next for Salem?

With Clyde’s dramatic exit, Salem loses one of its most compelling antagonists. But in true soap fashion, we have to ask – is this really the end? After all, in Salem, death isn’t always as permanent as it seems…

What do you think about James Read’s exit? Will you miss Clyde’s villainous ways? Share your thoughts in the comments below!