NBC’s Days of Our Lives is leaving broadcast TV after 56 seasons.
The daytime drama will instead move to the Peacock streaming service, with NBC News taking over the time period currently occupied by Days, NBCUniversal announced Wednesday.
“This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers,” Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement. “With a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers.”
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The programming change begins on Sept. 12, with Days replaced on network TV by NBC News Daily, an hourlong program anchored by Kate Snow, Aaron Gilchrist, Vicky Nguyen and Morgan Radford. The newscast will air on NBC stations, which have the option of adding local news to the show.
Days of Our Lives is one of only four daytime dramas remaining on broadcast TV, with General Hospital on ABC, and The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful on CBS.
While Days has a loyal following, it was the least watched soap opera last season. The series averaged 1.7 million daily viewers while The Young and the Restless, which is the #1 soap, drew 3.47 million daily viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Days of Our Lives premiered in 1965, and aired its 14,000th episode in 2020, making it NBC’s longest-running series.
The daytime drama is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ken Corday is executive producer with co-executive producer Albert Alarr. Ron Carlivati is the head writer.
Over the years, Days has picked up 58 Emmy Awards, including most recently the Outstanding Daytime Drama award in 2018.
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