Soap Opera Characters We Wish Never Left

Published on October 6, 2020. Updated November 1, 2022

Soap opera fans get attached to the characters they watch on their favorite daytime dramas. How can they not? Audiences watch their trials and tribulations daily each week and get highly invested in their lives. When a character exits a show, fans are devastated. Below are some characters we wish never left their soap opera.

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17. Y&R: Cane Ashby

Many Y&R fans were devastated when Cane Ashby left Genoa City so abruptly in late 2019. He did seem very lost without Lily, and when his connection to the Winters family was erased, his storylines within the show seemed to be removed too. With that said, Cane could enjoy an incredible comeback, but it would have been nice if the writers had invested a little more time in coming up with something creative to keep Ashby around. He was certainly a fan favorite, and many viewers miss actor Daniel Goddard.
© XTArroyo/jpistudios.com

16. B&B: Rick Forrester

The son of Eric and Brooke, Rick is a legacy character who was sent to Forrester International in Paris in 2018 and hasn’t been seen since. During his time on B&B, Rick was a constant thorn in Ridge’s side and even challenged him and won the coveted Forrester CEO job. Viewers still have no idea why he and his wife Maya broke up and wish he’d never left.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

15. Days: Bo Brady

Why did Bo Brady have to pass away in 2015? This is a question most Days fans ask themselves regularly. While the storyline created some closure for the character and those around him, the finality around his demise made it very challenging for this iconic character to ever return to the land of Salem. However, not so challenging that DOOL didn’t bother trying!
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

14. GH: Robin Scorpio

GH fans have seen Kimberly McCullough grow up over the years, and while viewers love Robin Scorpio, the actress herself loves directing more than being in front of the camera. While it is understandable as to why she left Port Charles, many fans wish they could see her more often than they do.
©Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

13. B&B: Bridget Forrester

Bridget has officially been off the B&B canvas since 2011. She still shows up for weddings and occasionally at Christmastime. The last time she appeared on the sudser, in March 2020, she was only there to witness her mother betraying Ridge with Dollar Bill and then she disappeared again. But fans were hoping she’d stick around permanently.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

12. Days: Kimberly Brady

As the sister to Kayla and Roman, it’s weird that Kimberly Brady has not grown roots back in Salem. In the 1980s and 1990s, she was an integral part of DOOL storylines, along with super couple sidekick Shane Donovan. Kimberly does come back now and again, but many fans wish she never left in the first place.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

11. GH: Patrick Drake

The handsome Jason Thompson played Dr. Patrick Drake on GH for about ten years. The good doctor ended up remarrying Robin in 2015 and the Drake family sailed out of Port Charles together in a beautiful “happily ever after” exit storyline. Patrick is continually missed by GH fans everywhere. After all, viewers get to see Robin and Emma periodically, but never Drake. This might have a lot to do with the fact that Thompson is now on The Young and the Restless; however, most GH fans still wish Jason (and Patrick) were in Port Charles.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

10. Y&R: Dylan McAvoy

Dylan left Sharon (and the Y&R) when his character was placed in the witness protection program. McAvoy was smart, kind, understanding, and incredibly handsome. His onscreen chemistry with Sharon was great, and it was refreshing to see her in a solid relationship with someone other than Nick Newman (or Adam for that matter).
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

9. GH: Lucky Spencer

He’s got a mom, a sister, and children back in Port Charles, so what is keeping Lucky away? As the offspring of super couple Luke and Laura, GH fans have watched Lucky grow up over the years and become a wonderful husband, father, and friend. As a pivotal character on the show with so many roots in the little town, and the fact that the character has been played by multiple actors in the past, one must wonder why Lucky ever left GH in the first place?
©Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

8. Y&R: Drucilla Winters

Dru left the Y&R in 2007 when she fell over a cliff trying to break up a fight between Sharon and Phyllis. While her body was ever found, everyone presumed she had passed on because of the fall she took. Dru was certainly a fan favorite and many in television land mourned her passing, alongside Genoa City residents. Could Drucilla return? Anything is possible, but it’s a shame her character left in the first place.
©Aaron Montgomery/JPI

7. Y&R: Grace Turner

Grace Turner is a character that loves to stir the pot. She came between Nick and Sharon Newman in the late 1990s and was an all-around schemer. While she was a villainess on the show, she certainly made things in Genoa City interesting and dramatic. Grace has come back to the Y&R now and again for special appearances; however, many fans would love to see her brought back for good.
©John Paschal/JPI

6. Days: Melanie Jonas

Fun, smart, beautiful, stubborn, and always a joy to watch! Why did Melanie ever have to leave Salem? Her love affair with Brady had chemistry beyond belief, and her roots in the little town extend quite far. Grandma Maggie is still in town and her friendships could simply pick up where they left off. Melanie is missed by DOOL fans and really should never have left the show in the first place.
© XJJOHNSON/jpistudios.com

5. GH: Brenda Barrett

How many GH fans would love to see Brenda Barrett return to Port Charles? She had an incredible love story with Sonny Corinthos and was a dynamic and interesting character on the soap. With Jax and Sonny in the little town right now, what’s stopping Brenda from making a comeback? Absolutely nothing!
©sean smith/jpistudios.com

4. Y&R: Brad Carlton

Brad Carlton passed away in 2009 and many longtime Y&R fans still miss seeing him on the show. His passing was shocking and completely unexpected. As a staple on the Y&R, Brad was involved in many pivotal storylines. At the time of his passing, Y&R audiences wondered why Carlton was taken in such a final way. When he passed, his body was found frozen under a lake, so it would be very difficult to bring Brad back. It doesn’t seem like Carlton will ever return to Genoa City, but the entire incident made for an incredible plot twist in the story.

3. B&B: Karen Spencer

Karen was officially the first gay character on the B&B, which is odd, considering the show is based around a fashion house. She gave her brother Dollar Bill a run for his money while she was in Los Angeles and we wish she’d never left. We want to see her cause more havoc for Bill, and be a loving presence for her grandson Douglas.
©Aaron Montgomery/jpistudios.com

2. Days: Dr. Daniel Jonas

Handsome, funny, and smart, Dr. Daniel Jonas had his fair share of relationships within Salem. He was linked to Chloe, Jennifer, and Carly, yet it was his relationship with Nicole that truly hit home with DOOL fans. Why he was axed off in such a final way is still a question that lingers on many people’s minds.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

1. GH: Luke Spencer

Luke was such a huge part of GH for over three decades that he was on the show. He was one half of Luke and Laura, a super couple that revolutionized the way mainstream media viewed soap opera romances, and he was an integral part of storylines over the years. When Luke left Port Charles in 2015, a huge hole in the little town developed, and things have never really been the same on the show since.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com