Days of our Lives has shut down production on the NBC soap opera amid the coronavirus pandemic. Head writer Ron Carlivati broke the news to fans early Tuesday morning on social media.
A vast majority of television shows have halted production during these unprecedented times to stop the current health crisis. Several primetime television shows will now end their current seasons early.
The entertainment industry is one of many that are being shut down or halted during the national crisis.
How long is Days shut down?
Ron responded to a Daytime Confidential tweet early Tuesday morning, letting people know Days is not filming new shows right now.
“Days is not still in production. At the moment, the show is dark this week and next,” he stated.
The head writer was replying to a message regarding the news The Bold and The Beautiful, as well as The Young and the Restless, have stopped production too. Both of the CBS soap operas will be dark for the next two weeks as well. Last Friday, General Hospital announced it was suspending production until April 10.
Days is not still in production. At the moment, the show is dark this week and next. #days
— Ron Carlivati (@carlivatiron) March 17, 2020
Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans shared an Instagram message to fans over the weekend, spreading love during this time. The dynamic duo gave fans some advice, words of wisdom, laughter, and an update on what was going on with the NBC soap opera.
Will new episodes of Days continue to air?
If all goes well, Days of our Lives will resume production on March 30. However, fans will not even notice there is a disruption onscreen. The daytime drama is moving forward with new episodes daily as scheduled before the production shut down.
Like all soap operas, Days shoots episodes in advance. While the other three daytime dramas shoot four to eight weeks ahead of airing, the NBC show has nearly eight months of episodes in the can. Even if the shutdown is longer than expected, fans won’t be able to tell the difference on screen.
That is good news considering several storylines are starting to explode. The baby switch bombshell and Orpheus’s return are only two juicy stories that are about to rock Salem. Fans have been waiting for these stories to unfold. Thanks to the shooting schedule, viewers will finally get the payoff they deserve without any delays.
Ron Carlivati, head writer for Days of our Lives, has confirmed the show is dark for the next two weeks amid the current coronavirus pandemic.
Days of our Lives airs weekdays on NBC.