Days of our Lives recap for Tuesday, January 7, 2025: The identity of Lady Whistleblower is revealed

Joy was stewing on a bench in the town square after her argument with Chanel when Leo sat down next to her. Leo informed Joy that he had sent her new script pages because he had written Joy out of a few of Chanel’s scenes. “So I guess that means you heard,” Joy said. Leo confirmed that Johnny had told him what had happened.

“Do you think this is going to end up in Lady Whistleblower’s column?” Joy asked. Leo shook his head. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” Leo said. Joy groaned. “So, in other words, yes,” Joy said. Joy walked away. As Leo stood up, he ran into Javi. “Happy New Year,” Leo said. Javi stopped walking, but he did not speak. Leo complained about Lady Whistleblower’s latest column.

“So what was this jab about?” Javi asked. “You,” Leo said. Javi scoffed at the idea. Leo explained that Lady Whistleblower had learned about how Leo had ruined his relationship with Javi. “Why is that even interesting to readers?” Javi asked. Leo shrugged. “But after she shredded my love life, she went after my professional life. Apparently, my job at Body & Soul is in jeopardy, too,” Leo said. Javi asked Leo if he had any idea about the identity of the columnist. Leo shook his head, and he said Rafe had found Hattie, but she had claimed to be innocent.

“I don’t know what to believe. All I know is that somebody is out to get me,” Leo said. After a moment, Javi softened. “You’re seriously worried,” Javi said. Javi asked Leo if it mattered what a gossip columnist thought of Leo’s work. Leo argued that he was proud of his work. When Javi asked about Rafe’s help, Leo admitted that he had not heard from Rafe. “I’m sure my cousin will get to the bottom of it soon,” Javi assured Leo. With a sigh, Leo said the only thing he knew was that Lady Whistleblower was not Javi.

“I just wish I’d realized that before it was too late. For us,” Leo said. Leo reiterated his apology. “I was paranoid because of my past relationships. You know, you get your heart broken enough times, and you start expecting to get hurt. But I should have recognized that you are different. I should have realized how lucky I was to have found you,” Leo said. Javi smiled.

“You should stop feeling bad because it’s over. I’ve moved on, and you should, too,” Javi said. Leo agreed, and he asked about Kerry. Javi admitted that Kerry had been out of town for New Year’s Eve, so he had gone out alone. “I’m pretty new to Salem, and I don’t have a lot of friends right now,” Javi said. “Well, maybe I could be your friend,” Leo suggested. Leo explained that he did not want Javi to hate him.

“I don’t hate you,” Javi said. Javi admitted that he was over his anger. “When you stopped me just now, I was pretty glad to see you,” Javi confessed. Leo smiled. “So then maybe we can be friends,” Leo said. Javi agreed, and the two men shook hands. “Well, well, well. What have we here?” Kerry asked as he walked into the square. Javi walked over and kissed Kerry hello. After some small talk, Kerry noted that Javi had looked “chummy” with Leo.

“We decided to put that behind us,” Javi said. “Have you?” Kerry asked. “Yeah, Javi was gracious enough to give me another shot at being his friend. I hope you’re okay with that,” Leo said. Kerry said it was fine. After Javi and Kerry made plans to return to the Hernandez house for lunch, Javi turned to Leo. “I’ll see you around, friend,” Javi said.

At the Brady Pub, Joy was reading Lady Whistleblower’s column on her phone when Alex walked in and picked up his takeout order. Joy showed the column to Alex. “At least they’re talking about us, right? I mean, they say any publicity is good publicity,” Alex said. “Sure. As long as you don’t have to deal with the real-life part of this disaster,” Joy muttered. Joy told Alex about her confrontation with Chanel in the square.

“She pretty much hates my guts,” Joy said. “Give it some time,” Alex said. Joy argued that Chanel would never forgive her for having ruined Chanel’s marriage. Alex countered that Chanel and Johnny’s marriage had been rocky before Joy. “Not like this!” Joy said. Joy noted that since Johnny was the director and Chanel was her co-star, there was no way that the three of them could work together. Worried, Alex asked Joy if she planned to quit.

“Hell, no. I love working on Body & Soul. I feel terrible about what happened with Johnny. I’m not going to give up my career over it,” Joy said. Alex encouraged Joy to forgive herself and move on. “You’re right! No more feeling guilty and like I’m a bad person,” Joy said. Alex nodded in agreement. “Chanel can hate me. I’m done hating myself,” Joy said. Joy thanked Alex for his advice.

In Stephanie’s apartment, she read the latest Lady Whistleblower column on her tablet. The column wrote about Alex and Joy’s New Year’s Eve date. Furious, Stephanie yelled that she would love to punch the columnist “in the throat.” Abe knocked on the door. Abe scowled and argued that they needed to uncover the identity of Lady Whistleblower. Stephanie read through a particularly harsh section about Abe and Kate’s lack of TV experience, and he rolled his eyes.

“Carver should really consider handing over the reins to a competent show-runner before viewers vote him out, much like the citizens of Salem did when he was mayor,” Stephanie read aloud. Abe gaped. “That’s not even true! I stepped down as mayor,” Abe argued. Abe demanded that Stephanie find a way to shut down the column. “I just don’t understand why we’ve been targeted,” Abe said. Stephanie shrugged, and she noted that she had gone to the New Year’s Eve party in an effort to clamp down on any more scandals.

“But this clearly goes deeper than that,” Stephanie said. Stephanie promised to do her job and find the culprit. Abe announced that he would head into the office. “I just hope there aren’t any new problems popping up today,” Abe said. Stephannie nodded in agreement.

In an effort to uncover the identity of the gossip columnist, Stephanie went to the Horton house to talk to Chad. “Chad, please, tell me who the hell Lady Whistleblower is before she gets Body & Soul canceled,” Stephanie pleaded. Chad declined to expose the identity of his employee. “I honestly don’t know who Lady Whistleblower is. And if they want to remain anonymous, then the Spectator has to respect their wishes,” Chad said. Stephanie pointed out that the columnist was attempting to destroy the show.

“A show which you’re an investor in,” Stephanie added. “That’s even more reason to be even-handed,” Chad countered. Chad suggested that Stephanie had overexaggerated the columnist’s effect on the show. Chad argued that one article would not destroy the show and that he could not censor the column either. Stephanie pointed out that Chad controlled the content.

“But at the end of the day, I’m going to back my columnists,” Chad said. “Yeah? What about your friends?” Stephanie countered. Chad stressed that he would not go against the policy of the paper. “This isn’t some First Amendment issue, Chad. And you’re not protecting a source. You’re enabling a gossip monger who is using your platform to spread malicious, agenda-driven content for the purpose of damaging your friends,” Stephanie argued. “Those are very big PR words,” Chad countered. Stepanie asked Chad to explain the columnist's obsession with the show.

“Lady Whistleblower is in the business of attracting readers. And right now, Body & Soul is getting a lot of attention,” Chad argued. Stephanie complained that the problem with the media is that they prioritized readership over substance. Stephanie asked Chad why the columnists were anonymous if they stood behind their work. After a moment, Chad conceded that Stephanie had a point.

In the Kiriakis living room, Bonnie read the latest Lady Whistleblower gossip column. “Who does this Lady Whistleblower think she is? I cannot wait to get my hands on that gossipy garbage monger,” Bonnie muttered. “Happy New Year, Bon Bon!” Hattie said as she walked in. Hattie noted that the front door had been unlocked. Bonnie demanded to know why Hattie was there.

“I’m here to apologize,” Hattie blurted out. “I knew it! You’re admitting to being Lady Whistleblower!” Bonnie said. Furious, Bonnie threatened to scratch out Hattie’s eyes. Hattie stressed that she was not the gossip columnist. When Hattie asked Bonnie if she could believe that Hattie would sit down and write anything, Bonnie agreed it was unlike Hattie. Hattie added that she was not responsible for the tainted cupcakes either. Bonnie scoffed.

“If you’re not responsible for the column and you didn’t send the cupcakes, what the hell are you apologizing for?” Bonnie asked. “For trying to get my best friend fired,” Hattie whispered. Hattie said she regretted her selfish maneuvering with the producers. “I’m wondering if you can find a way to forgive me?” Hattie asked. “For trying to get me canned from the best job I ever had?” Bonnie yelled back. Hattie swore that she had learned a lesson.

“I miss you, Bon Bon,” Hattie whispered. “I miss you too. In fact, I miss getting to share this whole crazy ride with you,” Bonnie admitted. With a grin, Hattie told Bonnie that she was great on the show. “Lady Whistleblower doesn’t think so,” Bonnie grumbled. “She can just blow it up her whistle!” Hattie countered. The women laughed together, and Bonnie thanked Hattie for her support.

“We really have had good times, haven’t we?” Bonnie said. With an emotional hitch in her throat, Hattie asked Bonnie again if she could forgive her. “Well, it is the new year. Maybe it’s time to let bygones go bye-bye and wipe the slate clean,” Bonnie said. “You mean that?” Hattie asked. Bonnie said yes. “I could never stay mad at you!” Bonnie said. Bonnie and Hattie hugged. After a moment, Hattie asked Bonnie if she wanted to go drinking. Bonnie declined.

“I was thinking maybe we go talk to Leo Stark and see about getting you back on the show,” Bonnie said. “But I’m dead,” Hattie said. Bonnie laughed, and she noted that no one stayed dead on a soap opera. “And no one stays dead in Salem,” Hattie noted. Bonnie told Hattie about the alternate scene that Leo had written and filmed to leave open the door for the return of Hattie’s character. Hattie gasped and smiled.

At the Body & Soul offices, Johnny was surprised to see Chanel walk in. “I quit,” Chanel said. “You don’t mean that,” Johnny said. Johnny reminded Chanel that she loved her job. Chanel agreed, but she added that it had lost its appeal after she had learned about Johnny’s affair with her co-worker and friend, Joy. “So I’m done with the show, and I’m done with you,” Chanel growled. Chanel explained she had run into Joy.

“I understand that you’re upset and you’re angry with me and with Joy. But there’s got to be some way that you can stay on the show,” Johnny said. “There isn’t,” Chanel countered. Johnny asked Chanel what she planned to do instead, and Chanel noted that she would return to her “first love.” “Your first love?” Johnny said with worry. Chanel clarified that she meant her bakery, not Johnny’s sister.

“At least at Sweet Bits, I won’t have to look at your lying face every day. And I won’t have to work side by side with a home-wrecking slut like Joy Wesley,” Chanel said. As Chanel turned to leave, Johnny stopped her. “You can’t quit the show. And you can’t give up on us. The show needs you, and so do I,” Johnny said. Johnny asked Chanel to take some time before her final decision.

“Am I interrupting?” Abe asked as he walked in. “You are just in time,” Chanel said. Chanel quit the show. “The hell you are,” Abe growled. Abe reminded Chanel of her contract. “You’re not seriously going to sue your stepdaughter for breach of contract?” Chanel asked. Abe sighed, and he admitted that was not his intent. “I’m sympathetic to what you’re going through,” Abe said. Confused, Chanel asked Abe why he wanted to make her stay on the show. Abe argued that Chanel was a part of the most popular couple on Body & Soul. Chanel pointed out that soap operas frequently recast characters.

“[The fans] are going to rip this show to shreds the minute we announce you’re leaving,” Abe said. “If Lady Whistleblower doesn’t beat them to it,” Johnny muttered. Chanel stressed that she could not work on the show any longer. “I’ll quit,” Johnny offered. Abe groaned. “I don’t know which is worse. Losing my young star or my star director? Are you all trying to kill me?” Abe said. Johnny argued that the right move was for him to quit.

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Chanel said. “You didn’t have to. All right, it just makes sense. Abe, you’re going to be able to find other directors. Fans aren’t even going to notice, all right, but there’s only one Faith,” Johnny argued. Chanel pointed out that even if Johnny quit, she would still have to work with Joy. “So you can keep your little noble sacrifice,” Chanel said. Chanel announced that she was done with the show, and she walked out.

“Nice try,” Abe told Johnny. Johnny apologized to Abe. With a sigh, Abe noted that Lady Whistleblower would have a field day with the news about Chanel leaving the show. “I just pray that Stephanie can unmask who this person is before Body & Soul fades to black for good,” Abe said.

At the Salem Inn, Leo was writing in his room when Bonnie and Hattie knocked on the door. “What are you two doing here? And why are you together?” Leo asked. “We made up,” Bonnie said. Hattie explained that she had apologized for her diva behavior. Bonnie said they had forgiven one another. “That is so great. I have to get back to work now,” Leo said. Bonnie pitched her idea to write Charlemagne back into the show. Leo reminded the women that the decision was not up to him.

“We figured if we got the head writer on board, it shouldn’t be too hard to convince the suits,” Bonnie explained. “You two are lucky. You caught me in a semi-good headspace,” Leo said. Leo pulled out the story bible for the soap opera, and he asked Hattie to swear on it. Hattie reluctantly placed her hand on the Bible, and she repeated after Leo, “I, Hattie Adams, swear to the creator of pork rinds that I am not Lady Freaking Whistleblower.” Satisfied, Leo promised to revive the character if Kate and Abe approved.

At the Brady Pub, Alex was getting up to leave the restaurant when Chanel arrived. “Are you okay?” Alex asked. “I think you know the answer to that,” Chanel said. Alex explained that he had kept Johnny and Joy’s secret because he did not want Chanel to get hurt. “Well, lot of good that did,” Chanel said as she sniffled back tears. Chanel confirmed that her marriage and career were over. “I quit Body & Soul. I know it was the right thing to do, but I’m going to miss it, all of it,” Chanel admitted. Chanel broke down into tears, and Alex hugged her.

At the Horton house, Stephanie sat next to Chad as he researched Lady Whistleblower on his computer. Chad confirmed that the paper had paid the money to a bank account based in Rochester, NY. “So whoever this Lady Whistleblower is, they have connections to Rochester,” Stephanie noted.

Javi and Kerry returned to the Hernandez house, and Javi asked Kerry what he wanted to eat. “Whatever you feel like making. It doesn’t matter,” Kerry said curtly. “You okay?” Javi asked. Kerry said he was fine, but Javi continued to push until Kerry blurted out, “Why do you want to be friends with him?” “I don’t know. Maybe because it’s a new year and everybody deserves a second chance,” Javi said. Kerry shook his head in disbelief. Javi wrapped his arms around Kerry, and he asked him to forget Leo.

“I’m going to go shower, and then we can eat. And I want to hear all about your time in Rochester with your charming family,” Javi said. “Sounds like a plan,” Kerry said. After Javi left the room, Kerry pulled out his phone and typed up his new Lady Whistleblower column. “I’m just getting started,” Kerry said with a smirk.

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