Kristian Alfonso's Days Of Our Lives: Beyond Salem BTS Pic Has Fans Talking

"Days of Our Lives" fans were crushed when they learned that actress Kristian Alfonso was leaving the role of Hope Brady back in 2020. The actress portrayed the beloved character for 37 years before opting to call it quits amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Alfonso revealed that after producers planned to write Hope off of "DOOL" for a few months and bring her back with a fresh storyline, she felt it was time for her to go, per Today.

"At that moment I thought to myself, you know what, it's time for a change and it was the perfect moment to make that decision," she told Entertainment Tonight. "I was taken aback when he said that they wanted ... to take me off camera for four to five months. It was not something that had ever been discussed but that's what it was, and to come back in five to six months, or four to five months — whatever that time frame was — I just thought, you know what, it's time to really write a new chapter."

However, after two years away from Salem, Alfonso announced that she would be reprising the role of Hope again for the soap opera's spin-off series, "Beyond Salem," and some very special co-stars would also be returning alongside her. Now, she's sharing exclusive snaps on social media as she gears up for her big return, and fans are buzzing over the pics.

In 2015, "Days of Our Lives" viewers were heartbroken when the iconic super couple of Hope and Bo Brady came to an end. Actor Peter Reckell decided to leave his soap opera days behind and returned to "DOOL" to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary, as well as put an end to the character of Bo. Bo was discovered to have a brain tumor and died in the arms of his beloved wife, Hope, which devastated fans. However, viewers are going to get to see Bo and Hope back in action again as both Kristian Alfonso and Peter Reckell have signed on to reprise their roles for the sudser's spin-off series, "Beyond Salem," which streams on the Peacock app, per TVLine.

"In an epic, action-packed tale that spans the entire globe, from Monte Carlo to Hong Kong, beloved characters from 'Days of Our Lives' once again go 'Beyond Salem' as they trade the comforts of home for an adventure of a lifetime," a synopsis for the series reads (via Deadline). "Over the course of five thrilling episodes, heartwarming family reunions take a dangerous turn as a mysterious adversary wreaks havoc on their lives." Sounds thrilling! Season 2 of the spin-off will also feature characters such as John Black, Marlena Evans, Steve Johnson, and Kayla Brady.

According to Soap Digest, "Days of Our Lives" fan-favorite couple Ciara Brady (Victoria Konefal) and Ben Weston (Robert Scott Wilson) will also pop up on "Beyond Salem." Of course, it makes sense for Bo and Hope's daughter to be part of the storyline, and Kristian Alfonso gave fans a bit of a sneak peek at what lies ahead with a sweet behind-the-scenes snap from the set.

In the photo, which was posted to Alfonso's Instagram account, the actress reunites with Wilson and Konefal as they all enjoy a family-style breakfast together. The actors raise their coffee mugs for a toast and look happy to be working together again. "#breakfast of #sweets are you a #croissant or #danish #person Or Both Options @victoriakonefal @robertscottwilson @peacocktv @nbc #kindness makes a difference," Alfonso captioned the photo.

Of course, "DOOL" fans went wild for the snap, and couldn't contain their excitement in the comments section. "So glad you are back Kristian!! And gorgeous as ever!" one person commented. "Absolutely love this picture. So excited to see Beyond Salem 2," another social media user posted.

"It's soooooo good to see you back. Boy have you been missed," one fan wrote. "This picture is so beautiful! I'm so excited to see you and Peter back for Beyond Salem season 2. And to see you both in scenes with Rob and Victoria," another stated.

It appears that the fans are ready and waiting to see the show when it debuts on Peacock in July.