Rumors have been swirling that former General Hospital star Tyler Christopher (ex-Nikolas Cassadine) is heading to Days of our Lives, and the news was just confirmed. The Illinois native is on his way to Salem.
Soap Opera Digest reports that the Emmy winner has already started taping at the NBC soap and will first air around the New Year.
"After only a week of Days of our Lives, everyone has gone above and beyond in making me feel as if I've been a long-time part of their iconic family," Christopher says. "It was such an honor to play Nikolas Cassadine for 20 years on General Hospital, but I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Salem has in store for me."
The actor also tweeted: "I want to thank @nbcdays for welcoming me into their home. Although I can't comment on the character, @carlivatiron has handed me a gem of a story I am eager for you to see."
Christopher, who left GH last summer when contract negotiations reportedly broke down with the ABC soap, has actually already appeared on DAYS once before. He played Signore Christofero during an all-star event for Greta's (Julianne Morris) coronation massacre in 2001.
Christopher released a statement on Facebook about his decision to join Days of our Lives.
"It has been a true blessing to be able to do what I love for the past 22 years. It feels like just yesterday that I pulled over to a pay phone on Sunset Blvd to answer a page (yes a page) from my agent telling me I had gotten the roll of Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital," Christopher shared. "I dropped to me knees, still barely clutching the phone in what can only be described as child-like disbelief at getting a Christmas present I thought Santa had forgotten about but didn't deserve. I often wonder what my life would of been like if [Emmy-winning GH casting director] Mark Teschner hadn't seen beyond the fragile inexperience clearly on display during our first meeting in late 1995. Fortunately for me...he did. Thank you Nikolas Cassadine for championing my career. In so many ways -- I think I needed you more than you needed me. And thank you (insert DOOL character) for reminding me what a privilege it is to be an actor."
Early speculation is that Christopher will go from Nikolas to Nicholas -- as in Nicholas Alamain. Many soap sleuths came to that conclusion because Louise Sorel is reprising her role as Vivian Alamain around the same time as Christopher is slated to make his first DAYS appearance in his new role.
What do you think about Christopher joining DAYS? What kind of character do you hope he'll be playing? 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.
