DOOL John’s Funeral Coming Soon – Filmed While Drake Hogestyn Was Alive, Actor Approved

DAYS Fans Prepare For Emotional Goodbye As John Black’s Final Episodes Draw Near

Days Of Our Lives fans, grab your tissues because we’re about to dive into some emotional news about our beloved John Black. While we’re still processing the heartbreaking loss of Drake Hogestyn, who passed away from pancreatic cancer this September, we’ve just learned that John’s on-screen farewell might be coming sooner than anyone expected.

DOOL’s Unique Filming Schedule Usually Means Long Waits For Memorial Episodes

You know how soaps typically work, right? They film months ahead, which usually means tribute episodes don’t air until long after we’ve said goodbye to our favorite stars in real life. Take Bill Hayes, for instance – though we lost the legendary Doug Williams actor in early 2024, his memorial tribute isn’t set to air until November. Following that pattern, many of us thought we wouldn’t see John Black’s farewell until sometime in 2025.

Ken Corday Made Difficult Decision While Drake Was Still With Us

But here’s where things get interesting, Salem fans. Executive Producer Ken Corday recently opened up to Soap Opera Digest about making one of the most difficult decisions in his career. With Drake having been away from the canvas for nine months due to his illness, Corday had to address John’s absence in a way that made sense for the story – even though Drake was still with us at the time.

“And I made the choice to, ‘Okay, let’s tell the story,'” Corday revealed to SOD. “He hadn’t been on [the show] in nine months. We needed a reason [for John’s absence].”

Drake Hogestyn Gave His Blessing For John’s Final Story

But wait – before anyone gets upset about this decision, you should know that Drake himself had a say in how his beloved character would exit Salem. In fact, Corday made sure to get Drake’s blessing before moving forward with any storylines. “I wanted to make sure Drake signed off on this, and he was totally in favor of it. He trusted me,” Corday explained.

Here’s something that might tug at your heartstrings even more – Corday had actually left the door open for a possible return, hoping against hope that Drake might recover from his battle with pancreatic cancer. That detail just shows how much love and respect was behind every decision made.

Cast Members Share Mixed Emotions About Filming John’s Goodbye

Not everyone was immediately on board with this plan, though. Stephen Nichols, our Steve Johnson, initially had reservations about filming John’s death while Drake was still fighting his battle. But once he learned that Drake himself had approved the storyline, Steve got on board with giving his on-screen best friend a proper farewell.

And what about Marlena? Deidre Hall, who’s shared countless scenes with Drake over the years, showed what a true professional she is. She told SOD that while filming these emotional scenes was incredibly difficult, she managed to separate her real-life feelings from her performance, knowing Drake was still with us during filming.

Salem Prepares To Say Goodbye To A Legend

So, Salem fans, it looks like we need to prepare ourselves for not one but two emotional goodbyes – both Doug and John’s departures will be hitting our screens sooner than we thought. While it won’t be easy watching these episodes, knowing that Drake himself helped shape his character’s exit might offer some comfort during these difficult scenes.

What do you think about how DAYS is handling this sensitive situation? Are you ready for John Black’s final farewell? Share your thoughts and favorite John Black memories with us as we prepare to say goodbye to one of Salem’s most iconic characters.