Days of our Lives makes writing team changes, Ron Carlivati out as head writer

Ahead of its landmark 60th season, Days of our Lives is making changes to its writing team. Emmy winner Ron Carlivati is out as the show's head writer.

In a shocking behind-the-scenes change, Ron Carlivati has exited his role as head writer of Days of our Lives.

"We look forward to approaching our 60th Anniversary next year with Paula and Jeanne Marie at the helm and fresh, exciting stories that we know the fans will embrace," executive producer Ken Corday said in a statement. "We wish Ron nothing but the best and thank him for his dedication and the respect he has shown to me, the cast, and the show's legacy."

Carlivati's exit takes effect immediately, according to Deadline.

Due to Days of our Lives' production schedule, episodes written by Carlivati will air through April 2025. Yes, another nine or so months.

It has honestly been one of the great joys of my life to be the Head Writer of Days of Our Lives for the past seven-and-a-half years, Carlivati said in a statement to TV Insider. I want to thank [Executive Producer] Ken Corday, [Co-Executive Producer] Janet Drucker and the entire cast and crew at Days for an amazing run. Thanks also to [Peacock executives] Michael Sluchan, Cherise Masukawa and everyone at Peacock for their unfailing support. To the fans, thank you for your passion.

Veteran soap scribes Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford will take over as Days of our Lives' new head writers.

Cwikly has been a member of the writing teams on As the World Turns, Sunset Beach, and The Young and The Restless. Cwikly does have previous experience with all things Salem: in the early 2000s, she was an associate head writer and head writer.

Ford, meanwhile, is already serving on the DAYS writing team as a breakdown writer. She started her career at DAYS in 1992 as a writer's assistant. Ford has also written for As the World Turns and One Life to Live.

Carlivati's installation as head writer of Days of our Lives was first announced in January 2017. At the time, NBC issued a statement saying, "We look forward to the fresh and compelling stories these changes will bring to Salem."

Carlivati took over head writing duties at DAYS from Dena Higley. In a somewhat soapy twist, in February 2007, Carlivati was promoted to co-head writer alongside Higley at One Life to Live -- four months later, Higley was let go, and Carlivati became the show's sole head writer.

In 2018, Days of our Lives was awarded the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing Team. It was just the third time the soap won in the category. During Carlivati's tenure as head writer for One Life to Live, the show won the 2008 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing Team.

In addition to his work on DAYS and One Life to Live, upon ABC's decision to cancel One Life to Live and All My Children in 2011, Carlivati was given the opportunity to serve as head writer for General Hospital. Carlivati was let go from General Hospital in 2015 amid changes at the network level.

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This article has been updated to include a statement from Ron Carlivati.

What are your thoughts on Ron Carlivati's exit? Do you think DAYS needed changes to its writing team? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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