7 Comebacks in the history of daily soaps that were not well received by the fans

Comebacks in daily soaps bring nostalgia and add dramatic tension between the characters.

Over the years, many characters have made comebacks in their respective soap operas. Whether they are coming back from the dead or are just living in some other city, they bring new twists and turns to the show.

However, not every comeback is appreciated or liked by fans. Some end up being disappointing due to their storylines or perhaps due to returning at the wrong time.

In this article, we have listed seven comebacks that fans of daily soaps did not like.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.

7) Whip Jones (The Bold and the Beautiful)

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Whip Jones’s (Rick Hearst) character first appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful in 2002 to take revenge on Brooke. Apparently, he had been working as a promotional manager for the Forrester Family company for the last twelve years but was replaced by someone else due to Brooke. However, he later falls in love with her, but Brooke still has feelings for Deacon. He later left and returned after seven years.

In one of the most lukewarm comebacks, Whip comes back in 2009 and starts a relationship with another of Ridge’s exes, Taylor. However, Taylor and Ridge grow closer, and she decides to divorce Whip. He then quits his job and leaves, but he has never been seen since.

6) Heather Stevens (The Young and the Restless)

Heather Stevens’s (Vail Bloom) character is one of the least loved characters of The Young and the Restless.

She had several comebacks over the years. However, during her recent return in 2023, she lost her job due to her closeness with Daniel again. Even her decision to represent Phyllis in court was met with confusion because she is the one who killed her father, Paul Williams.

5) Lulu Spencer (General Hospital)

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Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) finally wakes up from her coma in General Hospital.

However, fans had mixed reactions to her return due to some of the plotlines. Right after waking up from a coma, Lulu hitchhiking from Turning Woods to the Q mansion was seemingly too exaggerated. Moreover, she returned just when Dante was still grieving losing Sam, whom she fell in love with after Lulu fell into a coma. It was not the best storyline.

4) Derek Harkinson (EastEnders)

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Derek Harkinson (Ian Lavender) was last seen in 2005 in EastEnders when he left Walford to live with his family.

His comeback after eleven years in 2016 failed to impress fans due to the tepid storyline. It did not add anything to the existing drama and was just like a filler plotline. Derek joined the Walford players and performed in the Christmas show. However, nothing much happened other than Patrick becoming uncomfortable in Derek’s presence as he thought Derek was interested in him.

3) Kelly Windsor (Emmerdale)

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Kelly Windsor (Adele Silva) left Emmerdale in 2007 after an intense drama broke her marriage with Jimmy. Initially, due to Debbie’s blackmail and later, when he finds out about an abortion, Jimmy decides to break all ties with Kelly and leaves Emmerdale.

In one of the most unenthusiastic comebacks, Kelly returns to Emmerdale in 2011 and tries to get back with Jimmy, who was suffering from memory loss after being hit on the head by Kelly. However, he remembered everything, and Kelly had to leave again.

2) Jim McDonald (Coronation Street)

Jim Mcdonald (Charles Lawson) has had several comebacks in Coronation Street.

However, many fans did not like his 2011 return to the cobble street. His desperate attempt to rob a bank, Lancashire & Fyle Building Society, to buy The Rovers to pay off his son’s debt and also get back with Liz failed miserably. He then ended up in prison again, which resulted in Liz leaving him again.

1) Kristen DiMera (Days of Our Lives)

Kristen DiMera is one of the negative characters from Days of Our Lives and has had several comebacks.

However, her storyline always becomes about scheming to keep Brady away from Chloe. In 2016, she returned to Salem after being presumed dead and tried to wreak havoc in their lives by once trying to end injured Marlena’s life and then again trying to win Brady back with her scheming and plotting.