Jennifer Horton returns to Salem next week but she won’t be played by fan-favorite Melissa Reeves. Who is playing the popular DOOL character? Keep reading for all the details.
Melissa Reeves’ DOOL Return Previously Announced
Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of Melissa Reeves’ first appearance as Jennifer Rose Horton. She joined the show in 1985 and played the beloved character for a decade before her first departure.
She abruptly quit the show in 1995 and was sued by Corday Productions for breach of contract. The case was settled out of court and to everyone’s surprise, the actress returned to the soap in 2000 and played Jennifer off-and-on until 2020.
She chose not to return to the daytime soap amid the COVID pandemic because she didn’t want to commute to Los Angeles from her home in Tennessee.
The show quickly snatched up All My Children vet Cady McClain to take over the role of Jennifer. Melissa Reeves did briefly return in 2021. It was announced in April that she would once again be reprising the role of Jennifer for the tribute to late actor Bill Hayes.
Jennifer Horton returns to Salem next week but Melissa Reeves won’t be playing her. Why not?
Who Is Playing Jennifer Rose Horton Next Week?
News hit social media earlier this week that Jennifer Horton will return to Salem next week for a major story involving her daughter, Abigail. Fans immediately assumed that this is the previously announced return of Melissa Reeves, but it isn’t.
Melissa Reeves won’t return to screens until the November tribute to Bill Hayes and his character, Doug Williams. Soap Opera News shared on Twitter that Cady McClain will be the one playing Jennifer when she comes back to town on Friday, August 16.
An airdate for Melissa Reeves’ November return has yet to be revealed.
Is Abby Alive?
Jack has been following clues that the daughter he shared with Jennifer may not be dead after all. The clues led Jack and Chad to an amnesiac woman who may be Abigail. The mystery woman is played by 90210 vet AnnaLynne McCord.
Fans have a lot of theories about the mystery woman possibly being a very-much-alive Abigail Deveraux or a fraud. They will have to tune in to see why Jennifer comes back to Salem.
Do you find it confusing that Cady McClain is playing Jennifer now when Melissa Reeves will take over in just a few months? Sound off in the comments.
