DAYS exec details the plan to save NBC's last remaining soap opera; Emmy winning actor previews onscreen exits shake up the canvas

Days of our Lives' executive producer reveals why it was necessary for major changes to hit Salem, and Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) teases what fans can expect from the brand new DAYS -- minus a few beloved characters.

Fans who haven't been able to recognize Days of our Lives lately are in for some very good news: the executives at NBC's last remaining daytime drama have given it a major overhaul.

The soap's executive producer told Soap Opera Digest that it became painfully clear the show was in trouble, and he recognized that major changes were necessary. "The show I was looking at was no longer recognizable as Days of our Lives to me," says Corday, son of DAYS' creators, Ken and Betty Corday. "We had to jettison stories that were not going over well with the audience and we had to give characters on the show who were recognizable and powerful more story. But most importantly, we had to, for the 50th anniversary, months after and before, give viewers what they wanted to see."

Corday's quote is in line with something Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) recently told Soap Central. After a recent interview with the sexy Salemite, he revealed that major plans are underway for the struggling soap that extend beyond its upcoming birthday. "We can't wait to show the fans what is going to be happening for the 50th anniversary, but it doesn't just stop after the 50th anniversary," he shares. "This work ethic has continued, and the stories are just getting better and better as time goes on. We're just starting to shoot 2016. It's pretty amazing what we already have in the can, but I think fans are going to be extremely excited once all of this unfolds."

But don't expect all of the upcoming changes to be sunshine and lollipops, because some of it includes the loss of a few characters -- which Martsolf explains was necessary to get the show back on track. "It's a change of attitude; we've had a lot of changes in our hallways with administration and actors, and there are going to be exits as well as entrances," he teases. "All you can guarantee in this genre is change, but with that comes new opportunities and new relationships, and that's always interesting when those things come around in story. So get ready for things to be shaken up!"

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For more from Martsolf about the changes heading toward Salem, check out Soap Central's interview with the Emmy winner. And for more from Corday about the plan to save DAYS, check out the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Are you excited to see the big changes headed for DAYS? Which storylines and/or characters do you think need to go? Which storylines and/or characters would you like to see continue? And do you think the changes are coming just in time -- or is it too little, too late? 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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