I’m Marie, a 20-year watcher and lifelong DOOL loyalist. So when the exits kept coming—some graceful, some gut-wrenching, some suspiciously quiet—I knew it was time to dig deep and spill the real story behind the chaos.Here’s your ultimate roundup of the top character exits, replacements, and behind-the-scenes drama that rocked Salem in 2025. Buckle up.
When Drake Hogestyn returned to set for one final arc in early 2025, few knew it would be his last—for both the show and his life. His character’s death aired just weeks before Drake himself passed away from pancreatic cancer, blurring the lines between reality and fiction in a way that left fans gutted.But this wasn’t a rushed exit or a studio decision. It was his decision. He insisted on filming one last goodbye.
He even co-plotted the structure of his final scene: a quiet, breathless moment where words fall away and legacy takes over. No last-minute twist. No resurrection. Just John—Drake—fading in the arms of those who loved him.
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