“Days of our Lives’” Arianne Zucker may have received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in this year’s Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards race, but she’s not taking all of the credit. “I’m so proud of all of us,” she says of her nomination as well as the show’s 17 other Emmy nods. “We’re an ensemble cast and crew. There’s no “I” in this team. I had Shawn Christian [Daniel Jonas] and Missy [Reeves, Jennifer Horton], almost everybody in my scenes, so I didn’t do it alone. So that’s what’s pretty cool. Everybody helped lift me up.”

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Daytime newcomer Casey Moss has joined the cast of NBC’s “Days of our Lives,” per a tweet by Salem newbie Jen Lilley. In her tweet, the actress said, “Oh snap! My hott co-star joined Twitter! Be sure to follow @1CaseyMoss and watch his first episode of #Days Friday!” The tweet was accompanied by an image of the two in the “DAYS” hair and makeup room hugging. Moss thanked Lilley with a tweet back that said, “Thanks Jen! I appreciate it!”

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“Days of our Lives’” Meredith Scott Lynn (Anne Milbauer) has had an impressive 25-year acting career, appearing in popular shows like “Weeds,” “American Horror Story,” and “Desperate Housewives,” as well as in the film “Legally Blonde.” But Anne is perhaps one of the most fun characters she’s ever played, simply because, as the actress puts it: “She’s such an extreme bitch!”

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As expected, NBC has renewed “Days of our Lives” through September 2014. The news comes just days after NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said, “I think ‘DAYS’ is going to stick around,” during NBC’s portion of the Television Critics Association winter press tour.  “I don’t know that I’m at liberty to say that officially yet, but it’s not going anywhere,” Greenblatt added. The “DAYS” renewal was announced today by Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment.

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ABC

Scott Reeves, who has portrayed Dr. Steven Lars Webber on “General Hospital” since 2009, has announced via his Twitter account that the ABC series has released him from his contract and that he will last air on the soap sometime in February.

“Hey guys, u know how much u mean 2 me and I wanted u 2 hear it from me. I was let go from GH today and my last day should b in Feb sometime,” said Reeves in a Twitter posting shortly after 9:00 PM PST on Wednesday, December 12.

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Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

As we have been reporting for the past week, “Days of our Lives” actress Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton) has been embroiled in a controversy over a recent tweet she made to her followers about free speech. “Chick-fil-a today!!!! Loved every bite of it;)!! Land of the free and home of the brave. Love that we all appreciate free speech, right?” said Reeves on Tuesday, August 1. Since that day several people, including fans of Reeves, and of her show, have bombarded the actress with responses that either agree with her comment, call for her to apologize and/or clarify her statement, or used unmentionable language against her. Some of her daytime brethren have also spoken out on the issue, but not as harshly. On Thursday, August 16, Reeves finally responded by deleting her Twitter account…but not before making a bold statement.

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Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

On Wednesday, August 15, Crystal Chappell (Danielle, “The Bold and the Beautiful“) published a new blog post on the “Venice: The Series” website. Her post was in regards to a tweet by former “Days of our Lives” co-star Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton) that caused controversy within the daytime community.

“Chick-fil-a today!!!! Loved every bite of it;)!! Land of the free and home of the brave. Love that we all appreciate free speech, right?” said Reeves in her tweet to her followers on Tuesday, August 1.

In response to Reeves, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis, “General Hospital”) said on Twitter, “I’m all for 1st Am rights, but when you buy Chick Fil A, your $$ are going to fund hate groups that are actively attacking gay rights.”

Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher, “The Young and the Restless“) got personal via a posting on the Huffington Post. “I posted a tweet airing my disappointment in Melissa Reeves (another member of the daytime community) for aligning herself with this company [Chic-fil-A] that financially supports the furthering of hatred and bigotry. I did so because I have aligned myself with organizations like GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and I have read too many stories of alienated LGBT kids taking their lives after relentless persecution,” Rikaart said. “Whether grown up bullies like Dan Cathy and Melissa Reeves realize it or not, they are directly or indirectly telling these vulnerable kids that there is something wrong with them, or they are somehow less than. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’m certain of it,” he continued.

Since the controversy began, Reeves has not publicly spoken on the issue. According to Chappell, however, the actress has told mutual fiends that the implication of her tweet was “not what she intended.” Chappell added, “She said she saw half a tweet about Cluck Filet and thought she was supporting Free Speech. Nothing more. I thought…OK. Um….twitter fuck up? I’ve stepped into twitter convoys without really knowing what was being talked about and made a mess for myself unintentionally. Realizing after I stepped into it that I don’t at all support the person’s words I stood up for. OK….it happens. And then I asked our gay and married friends…well, why not just say that to the folks in twitter land? Was someone telling her not to? Is it work related? Ostrich in the sand syndrome? If I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist kind of thing? Blonde moment? The more time went by the more frustrated I and my friends became. It started to hurt. We all know Missy has very strong religious beliefs but the person we know and love….is NOT a bigot.”

Chappell stated that she has personally reached out to Reeves regarding the issue, and that Reeves has “decided to not speak out and hope that the people who know her will trust that she didn’t intend to support an anti-gay corporation.” The creator of “Venice” and new series “The Grove: The Series” also says, “I firmly believe she should speak…not only for the fans but for her friends.”

Responding to Rikaart’s Huffington Post article, Chappell says, “I thought it was eloquent and spot on…with the exception of calling Melissa Reeves a bully.”

To read Chappell’s full blog post on the matter, click here.

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

While Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue lists their last airdate being Wednesday, August 15, both Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux) and Sarah Brown (Madison James) will actually find their characters departing the world of the living much sooner.

On the Monday, August 13 episode, fans saw Madison speak for the last time as she called out for her fiancé, Brady Black (Eric Martsolf). On Tuesday, August 14, Jack departs Salem for the umpteenth time as the elevator cables snap while daughter Abigail (Kate Mansi) and the love of his life Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) look on in horror. Sadly, it looks like Jack is really dead this time! Also according to Digest, Caleb Hunt (Andrew) last airs on Friday, August 17 despite the character escaping unnoticed on the Monday, August 13 episode while Chad (Casey Deidrick) was tending to Gabi (Camila Bannus). Father Matt (Ralph Waite) is also back on the 17th as he shares words with Nicole (Arianne Zucker).

Soap Opera Network has learned Brendan Michael Coughlin will return on Monday, August 20, when his character Tad (aka: T) has a confrontation with Will (Chandler Massey) that eventually leads to a dangerous one with Sonny (Freddie Smith) later that week. On Tuesday, August 21, Brant Daughtery is back as Brian, and Will is none too pleased when he sees him getting intimate with Sonny.

Blake Berris returns as Melanie’s (Molly Burnett) stalker Nick Fallon, who is up for parole, on Monday, August 27. As previously reported, Nick’s mother Jessica Blake Fallon (Jean Bruce Scott) returns to Salem after a 30 year absence on Friday, August 31.

Normally when a hot button topic hits the social networks most soap stars don’t reveal their personal beliefs or feelings unless they are Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis, “General Hospital“), who generally voices her opinion on anything from politics (real and behind the scenes) to television programs. On Tuesday, August 1, when “Days of our Lives” star Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton) tweeted “Chick-fil-a today!!!! Loved every bite of it;)!! Land of the free and home of the brave. Love that we all appreciate free speech, right?” to her more than 31,000 followers, she didn’t just stir up outrage amongst her fans and fans of the NBC drama series, she also sparked the attention of some of her daytime brethren.

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Thomas A. Montalto/MontaltoPhotos.com

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) – Matthew Ashford returns to NBC’s “Days of our Lives” this September when his character, Jack Deveraux, finds himself back in Salem facing many changes and new challenges. Soap Opera Network spoke with Ashford at the “DAYS” studio about his return to the soap, his work on the web based series “The Bay” and the most pirated movie of 2008!

With details of Ashford’s return still being kept under wraps as the drama gears up for a relaunch on Monday, September 26 with new head writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Ashford wasn’t able to share much about Jacks’s return to Salem, but he did say that Jack “has been through some loss.” The actor also noted what’s to come for onscreen partner Melissa Reeves and her character Jennifer, who along with Ashford portray the popular couple Jack and Jennifer on the soap. “Jennifer has had some significant changes in her life. She’s had to make adjustments in her feelings and now Jack has to deal with that.” he said. Referring to Jack and Jennifer’s daughter Abigail (Kate Mansi), Ashford shared that “Abigail has grown and become quite the young lady.”

For more on what Ashford had to say about his return and how much daytime has changed since we last saw him check out our exclusive interview below.