Welcome back!

The soap opera world is reeling from a major bombshell this week as Billy Flynn, the beloved actor who brought Chad DiMera to life for over a decade on Days of Our Lives, has officially exited the Peacock streaming soap! After 11 years, the fan-favorite actor is making a shocking leap to the Sony sibling soap opera, The Young and the Restless!

THE HEARTBREAKING GOODBYE: EMOTIONAL FINAL MOMENTS REVEALED!

Fans are bracing for emotional goodbyes, and Billy Flynn himself has peeled back the curtain on his final, deeply affecting days on the Days of Our Lives set. Speaking to TVLine, the actor shared, “It was pretty emotional. The Friday before my last day was my goodbye scene with Susan Hayes (Julie Williams) and Chad’s kids. My last scene as Chad on camera, I was super emotional, especially with the kids, because I’ve known them since they were so little, and now having kids of my own, I felt a good bond to them and to Susan.”

He added, “Then my last day was with Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher) and it was nice to go out with Greg. It was like a passing of the torch since he came from [Y&R].” Flynn reflected on his time in Salem: “Eleven years there, and I changed a lot as a human being during that time. I built trust there, and they trusted me to play that part and do the work.”

A SHOCKING CROSSOVER & ICONIC RECAST BOMBSHELL!

The news of Flynn’s departure is massive, but his next move is an even bigger industry shocker! Flynn premiered this week on The Young and the Restless, where it was sensationally revealed that he would be playing a recast of the fan-favorite character, Cane Ashby! This crossover is a monumental event, as actors rarely jump between major soaps, let alone step into an iconic recast role of this magnitude.

Flynn shared how Days profoundly impacted his life, setting him up for this next chapter. “Other than being employed, if I had not gotten that job, it might not have led to some of the things that happened. But because it did, I became who I am now, and I met my wife, Gina. We started dating when I found out I got Days of Our Lives, and the fact that I was going to have a paycheck gave me the courage and the ability to even say, ‘Will you go out with me?’ because I could afford to take her out.”

He proudly added, “And the Chad and Abby relationship was really special to me, as were my relationships with Kate and Marci, I spent probably the most transformative years of my life there, and then the fact that I’ve done the work over the years that even put me in a position for Josh to go, ‘Let me call Billy,’ makes me feel really proud and happy.”

THE LINGERING FAREWELL: CHAD’S FINAL DAYS ON SCREEN!

Due to Days of Our Lives‘ unique filming schedule, fans will still see Billy Flynn as Chad DiMera airing on Peacock until early 2026, giving viewers a prolonged chance to say goodbye even as he embarks on his new journey on CBS.

This is a truly unprecedented moment for soap opera fans! Are you shocked by Billy Flynn’s exit? How do you feel about him taking on the role of Cane Ashby on The Young and the Restless? Share your thoughts and emotions in the comments below!