Is John Black leaving ‘Days of Our Lives?’

Days of Our Lives has been delighting soap opera enthusiasts since 1965, and everyone familiar with it is used to the comings and goings of its characters. Over all these years, the TV show has seen plenty of its cast members depart, and now, it may be Drake Hogestyn’s time.

The actor has been playing John Black since 1986, which is a testament to how much he likes the character and how much viewers enjoy seeing him in the role. John became one of the most beloved characters in Days of Our Lives, meaning that seeing him go is never easy for fans. We can never get enough of John, but with such a revolving door of cast members, it’s natural for some to leave at one point or another.

Recently, after finding out that he killed Catherina, Konstantin’s daughter, as The Pawn, John decided to leave Salem to search for her grave and pay his respects. Of course, Marlene wasn’t too keen on this idea, thinking that he’s simply trying to run away, however, John seemed sure of his choice. He claimed that he needs to do this alone, and while it seems like a good thing, fans can’t help but wonder if the character’s departure will be permanent.

Is John leaving Days of Our Lives for good?

It seems like John is making his exit from Days of Our Lives, but whether or not he’ll return is up in the air. If viewers will recall, this is not the first time that Drake Hogestyn has left the show, as he was fired in 2007 for budget cuts and his character was supposedly killed off in a car accident. A few months later, though, the actor was brought back, and John was discovered alive in Stefano’s basement. Then, in 2009, John and Marlena departed Salem so he could be treated in a Swiss clinic, only to return in 2011.

This is all to say that if everything goes well, Hogestyn may come back to the role of John. He did it a few times before, so why not repeat the trick? There has been no announcement that the actor is exiting for good, and he has given no indication that he wants to stop playing John. Thus, this departure is likely for storyline or budgeting purposes, and there’s a good chance we’ll see The Pawn back on the screen again. Besides, he wouldn’t be the first star to return to Days of Our Lives after leaving, and he surely won’t be the last.