Is Dena Higley‘s reign as co-head writer of “Days of our Lives” over before it even hits the air? According to a report by Daytime Confidential last week, Higley asked for, and was granted, a leave of absence from the show citing personal reasons.

In the first major casting announcement under new head writers Dena Higley and Josh Griffith, who replaced Christopher Whitesell and Gary Tomlin last month, “Days of our Lives” is seeking to cast a legitimate Australian actor for the contract role of Finn, a “ruggedly handsome” Australian doctor who is doing his residency in Salem and will work under the stewardship of Doctor Daniel Jonas (Shawn Christian), reports the Australian Associated Press and TV Tonight.

After several months of disastrous ratings returns that has left many in the industry wondering if “Days of our Lives” would survive its next renewal talks between NBC, Sony Pictures Television and Corday Productions, producers of the soap, the daytime drama series will welcome back veteran writer Dena Higley, and former “One Life to Live” and “The Young and the Restless” head writer Josh Griffith, as its new head writers. The two replace outgoing head writers Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell.

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) earlier today announced the nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Television, New Media, News, Radio, and Promotional Writing during calendar year 2014. In the category of Daytime Drama, ABC’s “General Hospital” and NBC’s “Days of our Lives” received a nomination.

There’s never a dull moment on “Days of our Lives,” especially where Kate Roberts is concerned. And rumor is, this fall will prove to be even more of an emotional journey for the Mad World Cosmetics CEO! Soap Opera Network caught up with the character’s portrayer, Lauren Koslow, to get the scoop on what’s to come as the days in Salem — and the town’s residents — get colder!

After saying goodbye to friends and colleagues on Friday, May 23 as she wrapped filming her 21 year run as Samantha “Sami” Brady on NBC’s “Days of our Lives,” Alison Sweeney is gearing up for the release of “Scared Scriptless,” her fourth book. The actress will appear at the NBC Experience Store in New York on Tuesday, June 3 signing purchased copies of her book, which is being released by Hyperion the same day.

While reporting on the nominees for the 2014 Writers Guild of America Awards (See: WGA Nominations: ‘Days of our Lives’, ‘General Hospital’ and ‘The Young and the Restless’), a couple of names appeared to have been omitted, specifically “Days of our Lives” co-head writer, Gary Tomlin, and former “The Young and the Restless” head writer, Josh Griffith. A couple of you inquired with us about that, and I in fact initially questioned it myself, at least until I was quickly reminded that both Tomlin and Griffith went “fi-core” during the 2007-2008 writers strike.

The new writing regime of Gary Tomlin and Chris Whitesell make their first changes to the “Days of our Lives” writing staff.

TV Guide’s Michael Logan got the first real interview with “Days of our Lives” Co-Executive Producer Greg Meng, just days after the soap fired its head writing team and replaced them with the team of Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell. In the interview, Meng promises some epic firings in the coming months!

Last summer I was lucky enough to be included as an interviewee in the new soap opera themed documentary appropriately titled “Soap Life,” which follows the life, and possible death, of daytime soap operas. I can’t believe I forgot all about it and didn’t realize it until this morning!

Editor’s Note: The information is clearly outdated at this point, but “Days of our Lives” issued the following statement to Soap Opera Network just a short time ago announcing (what we’ve already previously reported), that Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell are now heading up the shows writing team effective immediately.

On the heels of “Days of our Lives” replacing the head writing team of Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. with a new head writing team consisting of Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell, TV Guide’s Stephen Battaglio is reporting that part of the deal NBC signed in order to keep Matt Lauer with the network late last week could include a possible fifth hour of “The Today Show.”

The “One Life To Live” invasion continues at “General Hospital” as the show has makes changes to its writing staff.

With news of Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell’s ascension to the top of the “Days of our Lives” writing team after the NBC daytime soap let go Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr., less than a year after the two were hired to replace Dena Higley, Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue (issue dated April 16, 2012) is reporting that Tomlin and Whitesell has added the multiple Emmy award winning talents of veteran writer Lorraine Broderick to its new regime.

Earlier today Soap Opera Network broke the story that NBC’s “Days of our Lives” has decided to end its relationship with co-head writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. The female half of the dynamic team has now spoken out against the decision by revealing that the two weren’t given enough of a chance to develop the soap to where they wanted it to go thanks to network interference.

Soap Opera Network has learned that Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. were fired and replaced by Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell.

After weeks of reported firings, hirings and rumors, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” is breaking its silence. In a press release issued to Soap Opera Network, the program has outlined a series of changes that will be reflected on screen beginning in September that includes highlighting romance and the faces of beloved characters once more. Behind the scenes changes include the hiring of “Passions” scribes Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas and naming Noel Maxam and Greg Meng as Co-Executive Producers. The duo replace Gary Tomlin, who was fired last week. The behind the scenes changes are effective immediately.

It has been three weeks since Ken Corday, Executive Producer and owner of NBC’s “Days of our Lives,” made his first move to save the soap from near oblivion with the firing of Head Writer Dena Higley and replacing her with former “Passions” scribes Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas. In the weeks that followed, soap stars Crystal Chappell (Carly Manning), Louise Sorel (Vivian Alamain), Bren Foster (Quinn Hudson), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane), Tamara Braun (Taylor Walker), and Francisco San Martin (Dario Hernandez) were all out of jobs. If those changes weren’t enough to signal a revolution heading toward Salem, it was definitely made clear with the firing of Co-Executive Producer Gary Tomlin along with the expected returns of Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), Drake Hogestyn (John Black), and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux) and the rumored returns of several former cast members including Mark Hapka (Nathan Horton) and Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Horton).

With the news that “Days of our Lives” has let Gary Tomlin go as co-executive producer and Soap Opera Network unable to confirm who is replacing him at this time, rumors began swirling that actor Mark Hapka would be returning to the daytime drama series just days after reportedly stating that someone in particular (possibly Tomlin) was in the way of his employment with the show.

After a week of unconfirmed (by the show) firings of numerous actors, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” has now fired its co-executive producer, Gary Tomlin. The news was first reported by TV Guide Canada’s Nelson Branco on Twitter. News of Tomlin’s firing comes on the heals of last months firing of head writer Dena Higley and the recent firings of actors Crystal Chappell (Carly Manning), Louise Sorel (Vivian Alamain), Bren Foster (Quinn Hudson), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane), and Tamara Braun (Taylor Walker).