"Days of Our Lives" is doing major changes in its lineup upon entering its 51st year in television. With the long-running show saying farewell to many of its characters, actress Kristian Alfonso is sticking around. According to Soaps She Knows, Alfonso has just renewed her contract, although the details and length of the agreement is kept private.
Alfonso, 52, has been with "DOOL" since 1983. She plays as Hope Brady, wife to Bo Brady (Peter Reckell), forming the soap's iconic couple dubbed as "Bope."
Fans were left heartbroken to see Reckell's exit from the show during the episode last Friday, Nov. 19. Bo had a terminal brain tumor and passed away in the arms of Hope in one of the show's most tear-jerking scenes.
Alfonso has just recently tweeted her farewell to her reel partner. "Pete and I were given an incredible gift when we joined [Days]. Thank You for taking the journey with us with Bo and Hope," she wrote.
Pete&I were given an incredible gift when we joined @nbcdays .Thank you all so much for all yr Love & ... https://t.co/eRq1j9DzND
— Kristian Alfonso (@KJAlfonso) November 21, 2015
Likewise, Reckell, who has been with "DOOL" on and off since 1983, also tweeted his heartfelt message, saying that the soap has been an "amazing, rewarding, and life-changing" journey.
Being Bo has been an amazing journey, very rewarding...life-changing!. Being Lodens Dad has open my heart to emotions I never knew I had.
— Peter Reckell (@peterreckell) November 16, 2015
For Hope, spoilers suggest that she will soon find a new love after Bo's death. Bo has asked Rafe (Galen Gering) to take care of Hope once he's gone, and fans are expecting a Hope-Rafe tandem soon. During the "DOOL" fans day last Nov. 14, Gering teased his fans of this possible storyline, saying, "You'll have to see which way that's going to be."
Speaking to Soaps She Knows during the said event, the 44-year-old actor said that Rafe "is definitely in love with Hope," but teased that it's only a platonic love for now.
"They work together on the police force. They have to look out for each other, that is their job as partners," he said. "Rafe wants to be there for her right now. Emotionally, to support her and to help her through what is obviously a very challenging time. And we'll see where that goes."
But, Gering added that there is indeed a spark of romance in that relationship. "I think a lot of times when you invest that much into caring for someone--I would take a bullet for this person--especially if they're as cool as pretty as Hope, there is gonna be some grey area there."
"Days of Our Lives" airs weekdays, 1 p.m. on NBC.
