Kelly Monaco, Kimberlin Brown & 28 More of the Most Shocking Soap Exits of 2024, Ranked
The soap opera revolving door spun more furiously in 2024 than anyone would have liked. Beloved favorites, newcomers, and veterans all exited Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and Young and the Restless over the last 12 months.
While some may return, others are less likely to do so. Check out our list of the many performers who’ve come and gone from daytime drama this year (so far!), ranked from least to most shocking.
30. Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Spencer, GH)
We knew it was coming but that didn’t make his exit any easier. Primetime viewers know Chavez for his compelling portrayal of real-life murderer Lyle Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. However, the actor will always be beloved by GH fans for his turn as tortured Spencer Cassadine, the role that won him both a Daytime Emmy in 2022 and the Soap Hub Award for Favorite Newcomer in 2021. Along with Tabyana Ali (Trina), Chavez and the GH writers reminded viewers that soaps are all about romance. Spencer died (or “died,” we hope) as he had lived – loving Trina. His body has never been found. While Hollywood has plans for Chavez (he’s set to star in the sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer), perhaps someday, GH will bring back the much-missed character.
29. Melissa Ordway (Abby, Y&R)
Ordway isn’t leaving Young and the Restless and her role as Abby Newman-Abbott-Winters. However, it’s possible that the actress might be seeing less screen time. Ordway conducted a Q&A session via Instagram with her followers and revealed that one reason she cut her hair was because she’d been taken off contract by the show and wanted to have a new look for roles for which she may be auditioning. The timing of it all was shocking – Ordway held the Q&A soon after her character’s wedding to Devon Winters (Bryton James) on the show’s 15,000th episode.
28. Brandon Barash (Stefan, DAYS)
Barash has gone through a few incarnations in Salem. First, he stepped in as Stefan O. DiMera, taking over the part from Tyler Christopher. After Stefan was killed, the story revealed that Stefan had a twin – blue-collar Jake, the part that gave Barash a continued presence on the show along with an unforgettable accent!
In a twist that soap fans have come to expect, Stefan was brought back after Jake was killed off. Now, neither character is on the canvas as Barash has exited the show. “Of course, the ego is like, ‘Oh, okay, that hurt,’” he shared with Soaps.com after learning he’d be leaving DAYS. “But I walked out of the office equal parts shocked and excited about what was around the corner.” The actor/singer continues to tour the country with his DAYS pals who comprise the band The Day Players. (Click here to see if the group is coming to a city or town near you.)
27. Chad Duell (Michael, GH)
In a surprise announcement, Duell, who plays Michael Corinthos, the biological son of Carly (Laura Wright) and the late A.J. (Sean Kanan), recently announced that he’d be exiting GH in the near future. He thanked executive producer Frank Valentini and the show’s company for all the years he spent on the show. Valentini took to X, formerly Twitter, to confirm the Daytime Emmy-winner’s upcoming departure, promising “a great story for Michael and his family when Chad exits in the new year.”
26. Jacqueline Grace Lopez (Blaze, GH)
Let’s face it – “Blaze” is a great soap opera name. Fans who like their soaps diverse were also on board with Blaze and Kristina’s (Kate Mansi) relationship. Representation and identification matter. Alas, Blaze was written out so she could pursue her music career, and her romance with Kristina was extinguished in the process. There’s always the chance she could come back as her mom Natalia (Eva LaRue) is still on the canvas.
25. Arianne Zucker and Greg Vaughan (Nicole and Eric, DAYS)
Nicole Walker and Eric Brady had been paired with many other romantic interests over the years, but, at the end of the day, they are each other’s “OTP” (One True Pairing). The couple exited the show in late July, finally getting their happily ever after. Vaughan returned to the show in September for some episodes. He soon departed for a second time after helping clear Brady’s (Eric Martsolf) name in a hit-and-run.
24. Vail Bloom (Heather, Y&R)
The “bloom” was off the rose when Y&R made the shocking decision to kill Heather during a battle royale between the powerful attorney and fan favorite Sharon (Sharon Case), who was off her meds. The scenes of Heather’s demise were painful to watch – but were they real? There’s clearly more to the case in light of the returns of Ray Wise’s Ian and Colleen Zenk’s Aunt Jordan. Fans were hoping from the beginning that Sharon’s actions were a figment of her imagination. If Y&R wants to give Heather the Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) treatment and bring her back to life, we’d be fine with that!
23. Julie Dove (Connie, DAYS)
Meddlesome Connie seemed like a mere busybody in Salem but viewers soon learned that still waters run deep. Way deep. Connie turned out to be a wackadoodle, who killed Li (Remington Hoffman) after he failed to return her interest in him. She also took a stab at Rafe (Galen Gering) and committed other deadly acts! Currently residing in Bayview, the stage is set for Connie to escape in order to commit another reign of terror. She wouldn’t be the first killer to somehow get redeemed either. Remember how therapy and medication got hottie Ben Weston (Robert Scott Wilson, now, Alex) out of jail and back in circulation?
22. Alley Mills (Heather, GH)
Mills stepped into the role of Heather Webber in 2022 and to say that she made the role her own is an understatement. She embraced the character’s unpredictable and manipulative nature, winning a Daytime Emmy in 2023 for her efforts. When the show needed to cast a serial killer, they opted to make Heather the murderer. After all, she was going to live in a sanitarium anyway? GH put a spin on the Hook by revealing that Heather committed her schemes after suffering from cobalt poisoning courtesy of a recent hip operation. (Of course, said operation occurred after Heather tried to kill Diana Taylor by lacing her ice tea with LSD and framing Annie Logan for Diana’s subsequent murder…but why quibble?) Released from prison, Heather agreed to leave town with her son, Steven Lars (Scott Reeves), to allay the fears of everyone in Port Charles.
21. Lucas Adams and Victoria Grace (Tripp and Wendy, DAYS)
Younger characters have years and years of story ahead so it often comes as a surprise when a show will give a couple that hasn’t been around all that long in the grand scheme of things a rest. Still, viewers were content to know that Tripp and Wendy (Grace, pictured above) went off into the sunset together as the couple relocated from Salem to Hong Kong.
20. Brian Gaskill (Seth, Y&R)
Soap-hopping Gaskill added Y&R to his list of credits when he joined the show as Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) AA sponsor. Alas, the trusting Seth became a victim of deadly Aunt Jordan, who simply pushed the man into oncoming traffic, causing his death. “I’m very grateful for this whole arc and story,” Gaskill posted on Instagram following his exit from the top-rated CBS soap. “Many blessings to all of you.”
19. Kimberlin Brown (Sheila, B&B)
It looked like Brown had made her last appearance as daytime’s most famous baby-stealer last winter, but her character, Sheila, knows how to cheat death better than anyone. From the first time she was believed to have perished in a farmhouse fire on Young and the Restless to her more recent surprise return (it was her doppelganger Sugar who was killed), Sheila continues to turn up like a bad penny. (Perhaps not the best simile as Brown’s performances are always priceless!) Cynics were skeptical that Sheila was gone for good given that there was no farewell cake ceremony on set. We were happy to be proven right!
18. Trevor St. John (Tucker, Y&R)
In a surprise move, Tucker McCall, son of the late, great Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper), exited the canvas in June. His portrayer, fan favorite Trevor St. John, posted on X, formerly Twitter, “As you well know, Tuckers come and Tuckers go, and so the cycle continues… this Tucker is in his go phase…” The press-shy actor did not elaborate on why he left the CBS soap opera.
17. Jessica Serfaty (Sloan, DAYS)
Don’t steal babies. Just…don’t. Not if you want to stick around Salem. After Sloan Petersen’s role in the kidnapping of Eric and Nicole’s son Jude came to light, she hightailed it out of Salem, taking Serfaty and her bad girl persona off the canvas.
16. Matthew Atkinson (Thomas, B&B)
Atkinson wasn’t the first adult Thomas Forrester, but he certainly made the role his own a while back after giving a compelling performance as an unbalanced young man who imagined a mannequin was the woman he loved. He turned his life around and stopped doing bad things – like threatening his son, Douglas (Henry Joseph Samiri), the show’s moral compass. However, we were never quite sure when and/or if the old manipulative and calculating Thomas would return. What we weren’t counting on was Thomas leaving town and moving to Paris to work at Forrester International, where he fell in love with Paris Buckingham (Diamond White).
15. Kin Shriner (Scotty, GH)
Scotty Baldwin is soap opera’s longest running character, having debuted on GH in 1965 (when the role was played by then-future Family Affair star Johnny Whitaker). Shriner has portrayed Scotty on and off since 1977. The actor has taken to social media often to update fans of his status with the show – only to have that status change sooner than later. However, an Instagram post from this past May indicated that his exit from the canvas might fall into the permanent range.
“I started out confused and [am] still confused where is Scotty Baldwin…well had a great ride for dam [sic] sure!!!!” Shriner posted. As he was recurring with the ABC serial, there’s always the chance he could come back with short notice. The actor’s young romance storyline with Genie Francis’s Laura back in the late 1970s was a key factor in boosting the show’s ratings from low-rated to top-rated.
14. Thaao Penghlis (Tony, DAYS)
Penghlis has come and gone from Salem over the decades both as Tony DiMera and his doppelganger Andre DiMera. Last spring, he hinted in an interview with Soap Opera News that he felt he was meant to do other things. Still, it’s inconceivable to imagine the Salem canvas without Tony – or Thaao. We’re hoping that Tony, like his late father Stefano (Joe Mascolo), will rise like a Phoenix again and again.
13. Enzo De Angelis and Tristan Riggs (Aiden, GH)
GH fans needed a scorecard to keep up with the rotating Aidens on the show. Liz (Rebecca Herbst) and Lucky’s (Jonathan Jackson) son at the beginning of the year was played by Enzo De Angelis (above). Last spring, Tristan Riggs took over the role, but his tenure was relatively short. The character is currently being played by Colin Cassidy. While De Angelis played out Aiden’s coming out to his mom almost a year ago, Cassidy was charged with bringing a similar scene to life with his father this year.
12. Lisa Yamada (Luna, B&B)
B&B positioned Yamada’s Luna as its next young heroine. The character had an interest in fashion? Check. She was developing a romance with Forrester heir R.J. (Joshua Hoffman)? Check. She had inadvertent sex with Zende (Delon de Metz), a relative of R.J.’s? Check. But the show then threw us a series of curveballs. First, Luna was revealed as the killer of two different innocent people who stood in her way of a cushy lifestyle as Bill’s (Don Diamont) daughter. Her accidental sex with Zende was part of a master scheme! Then, after being sent to jail, Luna made a return to the show’s canvas. What in the name of Sheila Carter is going on?
11. Serena Scott Thomas (Fiona, DAYS)
Oh, sure Fiona tried to kill daughter-in-law Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) not once but twice. But, hey, she didn’t succeed, right? Still, she had to go away for her crimes – but folks on soaps have come back from worse. Thomas brought a regal presence and a classy British accent to Salem. It’d be great fun to see her again on the show.
10. Clint Howard and Hollis Chambers (Tom and Hollis, B&B)
Two poor innocent souls lost their lives on B&B when the show opted to do a murder mystery. There was gentle Tom (above), who only wanted to connect with the girl he believed was his long-lost daughter, Luna. Then, hottie Hollis, the Il Giardino waiter, with the hottest abdominal muscles on soaps, became Luna’s next victim. It’s sad when soap characters die – especially when they die in vain. How so? It appears we haven’t seen the last of Luna. Will Tom and Hottie get justice?
9. Gregory Harrison (Gregory, GH)
Soap fans aren’t always fond of storyline reversals. However, we think everyone would have been okay if Gregory Chase’s ALS diagnosis – like Lucious Lyon’s on Empire – had been changed to Myasthenia Gravis, a similar condition that is not fatal. Sadly, that avenue was not taken. Gregory lived to see his son Chase (Josh Swickard) marry Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) but then died peacefully in his sleep shortly thereafter. Harrison’s chemistry with both Jane Elliot (Tracy) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) was terrific. This was a loss.
8. Henry Joseph Samiri (Douglas, B&B)
Thomas moving to France resulted in some big collateral damage – he took his son, Douglas, with him. Samiri established himself as one of TV’s most talented child actors. He brings seasoned professionalism to his roles while never failing to remind us he’s still just a kid. That’s rare. Let’s hope B&B brings Samiri back soon. He’ll always be associated with one of the show’s most memorable lines – “Baby Beth is alive.”
7. Emily O’Brien (Theresa, DAYS)
O’Brien originally joined DAYS to play Gwen. After her story wrapped up, the actress was tasked with donning a wig and becoming the show’s new Theresa so she could play out a story that was started by Theresa’s original adult portrayer, Jen Lilley. At the recent Day of DAYS fan event, O’Brien made a surprise appearance to reveal that she was rejoining the show but not as Theresa. She’ll be returning as Gwen.
6. Avery Kristen Pohl (Esme, GH)
Viewers loved to hate Pohl’s entitled and manipulative Esme from her first appearance on GH in 2021. (It was so deliciously annoying the way she’d call Spencer “Spence” – as if she were reminding everyone of their unique dynamic.) Heck, with parents like serial killer Ryan Chamberlin (Jon Lindstrom) and Heather Webber (Daytime Emmy-winner Alley Mills), it’s a wonder that Esme wasn’t even more diabolical! Then again, it takes some kind of evil genius to make her way over to France, track down Spencer and Trina, and attempt to kill them. Esme’s efforts cost her her life. Fortunately, no body was found.
5. Michael Easton and Jophielle Love (Finn and Violet, GH)
In addition to Dr. Hamilton Finn, Easton has played many other characters on GH over the years including lawman John McBain and Dr. Silas Clay. The actor always delivers no matter what persona he’s inhabiting. Case in point: Easton turned in a tour-de-force when Finn played out his father Gregory’s death and subsequent relapse. Our only gripe is that it played out faster than we would have liked. It should make us feel better that Finn and his daughter Violet are reunited and living in Seattle now that he’s out of rehab but we miss seeing both of them on-screen. Seattle? Hmm… Maybe ABC should do a crossover with GH’s Finn by writing him onto Grey’s Anatomy for an arc.
4. Blake Berris (Everett, DAYS)
DAYS has cast Berris in a few different roles over the years including Nick Fallon. And each time, the actor immerses himself in his part, making viewers not even think about the one he played before. So, while we were sad to see him exit as both Everett and alter-ego Bobby (one – or is that two? – of Connie’s victims), we’re confident that if and when DAYS hires the Berris to rejoin the show again, he’ll provide a winning and unique performance.
3. Adam Harrington (John AKA Jagger, GH)
GH went with a different type when it brought back the role of John “Jagger” Cates, the role originated by Antonio Sabato Jr., who was a sexy, soap opera sensation back in the 1990s. Harrington, a veteran actor, whose credits include The Lincoln Lawyer, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Station 19, brought new layers to the ex-boxer. John/Jagger went head-to-head against Sonny (Maurice Benard), which ultimately cost him his life when Sonny shot him in cold blood. Will John/Jagger get justice? Where will Harrington pop up next?
2. Kelly Monaco (Sam, GH)
Monaco’s 21-year run on GH came to an end after word leaked out that the actress was exiting the show. Rather than have Sam realize that Dante would always be in love with ex-wife Lulu (Alexa Havins) and leave town (hopefully to return someday), the show opted to kill Sam off. We saw the efforts to resuscitate her fail. Sam’s gone but part of her liver lives on in Lulu. Monaco’s mom, Carmina, took to X, formerly Twitter, to praise fans for their unending loyalty. “Thank you all for the unbelievable support you’ve shown Kelly,” Carmina posted. “Your dedication and love do not go unnoticed, and it means the world to her. Your unwavering support is truly appreciated!”
1. Tristan Rogers and Emma Samms (Robert and Holly, GH)
Why can’t soaps just give viewers a happy ending when a couple goes off the canvas? That’s a question viewers have asked many times. Well, GH did exactly that with Robert and Holly. They were never supposed to be a couple but over 40 years ago, Robert valiantly burst onto an airplane and saved a pregnant Holly from being deported back to England. They married to give Robert’s best friend Luke’s (Anthony Geary) baby a father. It’s been said that viewers saw the couple falling in love both on and off-screen before they even did.
Alas, fate separated the duo time and time again over the years. However, this time, Robert refused to let Holly walk out of his life. All that was missing was hearing their love theme, “How Do You Keep the Music Playing”.
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