‘DOOL’ Peter Reckell Opens Up About ‘Difficult’ Return To Soap
DOOL fan-favorite Peter Reckell is finally back on the show. He returned earlier this month as comatose Bo Brady. The actor opened up about the ‘difficult’ return to the Peacock soap. Keep reading to find out why it was so hard.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for this week’s DOOL episodes and upcoming storylines. Proceed with caution.
Bo Brady’s Life Hangs In The Balance
Bo Brady (Peter Reckell) has been in a coma since 2023 after being shot by Shawn-Douglas (Brandon Beemer.) His son thought he was protecting his mom, Hope (Kristian Alfonso,) from danger because Bo was brainwashed into killing Hope. But moments before the gun went off, Hope finally reached Bo, and he was back to his normal self. Unfortunately, it was too late.
Fast-forward two years, and the Brady family got news that Bo was on the brink of death due to sepsis. Shawn-D teamed up with Steve (Stephen Nichols) to find the medication that could save Bo’s life. It was in a heavily guarded lab, so Steve called John Black for help. Actor Drake Hogestyn played the character of John for nearly 40 years. He passed away from cancer in September 2024. His final air date aired earlier that month. But before he passed away, he helped the show craft John Black’s final storyline.
A stand-in actor filmed the scenes this week. John showed up at the lab wearing a black hoodie. His face was never shown, but Drake Hogestyn’s voice was heard. John Black managed to get into the lab, but a blast seriously injured him. Despite his injuries, he was able to save the medication that Bo needs to live. Friday’s DOOL episode ended in a cliffhanger with John Black flat-lining in the hospital. Bo will likely survive, thanks to John’s heroic last moments.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: John Black Returns in Pivotal Moment, Setting Him Up to Be A Hero One Final Time to Honor Drake Hogestyn – @DaysPeacock #DrakeHogestyn @brandonbeemer #StephenNichols
Guess its time to have hankies😢near by – https://t.co/nLYF6rWqYu pic.twitter.com/U2jDn9ZUTH
— MIchael Fairman (@MichaelFairman) May 23, 2025
Peter Reckell Talks Reuniting With Kristian Alfonso
A comatose Bo Brady was visited by his closest family members on Friday’s episode. His daughter Ciara (Victoria Koneful) returned to Salem to say a heartbreaking goodbye. The episode aired on May 23, which is an important date in Bo and Hope’s love story.
This year marked 40 years since the soap supercouple’s first wedding aired on television on May 23, 1985. DOOL honored that by showing flashbacks from the wedding.
In an interview with TV Insider, Peter Reckell talked about how Bo’s return was different this time compared to last time. “I got to, not only in person, but in character, have these reunions and tell people how much they mean to me. The last time I was there, Bo was in a whole different state of mind, and pushing everybody away, but this is a reconnection of the characters,” he explained.
He shared what it was like reuniting with his on-screen love interest, Kristian Alfonso. It’s long been rumored that the actors didn’t get along very well back in the 1980s during the height of Bo and Hope’s love story. However, they seem to get along just fine now.
“Kristian and I were talking about how we created something along with everybody else that has touched people on a very deep level,” Peter Reckell said during the interview.
DOOL Star Opens Up About ‘Difficult’ Return To Soap
While Peter Reckell was able to reunite with Kristian Alfonso and many of his other co-stars, Days Of Our Lives has suffered the loss of several actors in the last few years.
John Aniston, who played Bo Brady’s father, Victor Kiriakis, died in November 2022. Bill Hayes, who played Bo’s father-in-law, Doug Williams, passed away in January 2024. Two months following Drake Hogestyn’s death, Bo’s on-screen brother, Wayne Northrop (Roman Brady,) passed away.
“It’s still difficult to talk about because Drake touched everybody in his sphere so closely, and he was my brother and one of my best friends,” Peter Reckell said about the loss of Drake Hogestyn. He said that when the cast filmed the memorial scenes, the dialogue was personal to them.
Really missing that pat on the shoulder. https://t.co/Hbk4qNGAAG
— Peter Reckell (@peterreckell) May 23, 2025
“Having his memorial, there was no acting required in those scenes, because you’re saying things as the character that parallel your feelings in your personal relationship,” he shared.
While John Black flat-lined on the most recent DOOL episode, the teaser for next week reveals that he pulled through long enough for his family and close friends to say goodbye.
Days Of Our Lives airs weekdays exclusively on Peacock.
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