General Hospital
This Week’s Shocking Soap Opera Comings and Goings: Returns, Debuts, and Surprises Across Daytime
Soap vet Jordi Vilasuso joins Beyond the Gates! Plus, Kirsten Storms teases her GH return and Peter Porte is back on DAYS! (
DAYTIME’S BIGGEST COMINGS AND GOINGS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 29, 2025
TL;DR: A soap vet joins Beyond the Gates as a new love interest, a fan favorite finally returns to General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives welcomes back a beloved character just in time for a wedding! Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s comings and goings!
Beyond the Gates
The biggest casting news of the week comes from Fairmont Crest! Soap vet Jordi Vilasuso has joined Beyond the Gatesas Ashley’s new love interest. Eagle-eyed fans spotted the familiar actor in a promo for the show’s second season, and Soap Opera Digest confirmed the exciting news.
A rep for the soap confirmed Vilasuso is indeed the man romancing Ashley (Jen Jacob) in the promo, though details about his character’s name and first airdate remain under wraps. The actor shared his excitement on Instagram, writing that he’s “BEYOND grateful to be working with this fantastic cast and crew!”
Vilasuso is a daytime legend with an impressive resume. He originated the role of mob prince Tony Santos on Guiding Light from 2000 to 2003, earning a Daytime Emmy for his work. He later portrayed Dr. Griffin Castillo on All My Children, Dario Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and most recently played hunky cop Rey Rosales on The Young and the Restless from 2018 to 2022.
In other BTG news, Antoine Jackson will appear in season two! No word yet on who he’ll portray or when we’ll first see the actor, but stay tuned for updates.
Excited about Vilasuso joining BTG? Write to the editor at amber@soapoperamagazine.com and share your thoughts!
General Hospital
Maxie Jones fans, your prayers have been answered! Kirsten Storms, who has been off the canvas since summer while she relocated to Nashville and dealt with a serious medical issue, recently teased her return on social media. After explaining she was holding off on brain surgery following a meeting with a new neurosurgeon, Storms gave fans the present they’ve been waiting for: “And maaaaybe you will be seeing me back in Port Charles soon.” Maxie has been in a coma since August, so her return will be a joyous occasion!
Speaking of happy returns, Parry Shen is officially back as Brad Cooper! The character resurfaced last week to reunite with his bestie Britt (Kelly Thiebaud). With Britt celebrating her birthday on Tuesday, December 30, expect her BFF to be on hand for the festivities.
Days of Our Lives
After a two-year absence, Peter Porte returns to Salem as Dimitri Von Leuschner! The character was last on canvas in December 2023 and arrives just in time for Leo (Greg Rikaart) and Leo’s (Al Calderon) wedding. He makes his first appearance on Friday, January 2.
Leann Hunley is back as Anna DiMera! Look for Tony (Thaao Penghlis) and Anna to share a joyous reunion on Tuesday, December 30.
Bryan Dattilo gets more airtime as Lucas Horton this week, interacting with his TV mom and brother, Lauren Koslow’s Kate and John-Paul Lavoisier’s Philip, on Monday.
Dan Gauthier continues his stint as Peter Blake, working opposite Stacy Haiduk’s Kristen, Billy Flynn’s Chad, and Penghlis’ Tony on Wednesday. Haiduk also appears as EJ’s (Dan Feuerriegel) quirky mom Susan on Tuesday.
Tina Huang returns as Melinda Trask on Wednesday, sharing screen time with Martha Madison’s Belle and Rachel Boyd’s Sophia. And Alice Halsey airs as Rachel Black on Wednesday, getting a surprise visit from her TV dad, Eric Martsolf’s Brady.
Young and the Restless
Ray Wise makes another appearance as Ian Ward on Friday, January 2! Once again, the former cult leader haunts Mariah (Camryn Grimes) in a vision. Wise last aired on the soap in October.
Bold and the Beautiful
Sydney Bullock gets increased airtime as the enigmatic Dylan this week. The character initially debuted as Hayes’ (Bryan David Garlick) summer school teacher last June and shares scenes with Crew Morrow’s Will and Laneya Grace’s Electra. Dylan’s connection to Luna’s death remains a point of intrigue for fans wondering if she might become the next obsessive villain!
Drop your thoughts in the comments! Which return are you most excited about?
