Soap legend hated by fans quits after 10 years
James Read, the actor who played the villainous Clyde Weston in American soap Days of Our Lives, has bid farewell to the show after a decade. Clyde, who was shot by Catherina Greene (Susan Elena Matus) and subsequently slipped into a coma, was introduced as the father of Ben Rogers (Robert Scott Wilson) in 2014. Over his tenure, he appeared in more than 250 episodes, committing a slew of crimes including blackmail, murder, rape, and leading a drug ring. With his character now in a coma, James reflected on his time on the show, expressing hope for a potential return. Speaking to PEOPLE, he said: "It's been a fabulous run so far, only the soap gods know if it is meant to continue. I always think of Days as a family and have enjoyed every minute of working there since I started 10 years ago.
A spokesperson for the soap also hinted at a possible comeback for Clyde, stating: "James Read has been a recurring character on the show for the past 10 years and is a well loved member of the Days family. Clyde may be incapacitated for now, but we never say "never" in daytime." In 2014, James opened up about what attracted him to playing the villain on the longtime soap opera in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, sharing, “I was instantly and enormously attracted to the character in the material I was sent. Clyde is not the kind of role that throughout my career people have initially thought of me for. For all these years, many people’s first awareness of me was in [the hit TV miniseries] North and South."
“I really played the physical hero. Since that initial introduction to a huge audience, most of my roles have been like that. I was extremely flattered that the people at DAYS would think of me for this. For a lot of producers and directors, I wouldn’t be the first name that comes to mind, because it’s not the kind of role that I have been associated with.”
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In other news, CBS recently teased the launch of a new American soap, Beyond The Gates. Set to premiere on Monday, February 24, the drama will follow several affluent families living in a gated community. However, it will only be available for viewing in the US. The new soap will replace The Talk, which is ending its 14-year run.
Beyond The Gates will join the ranks of enduring shows like The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and The Restless, marking the first series in 35 years to spotlight a Black family. Originally titled The Gates, Beyond the Gates is set in a lush, well-to-do suburb of Washington, D. C. in Maryland.
The narrative revolves around the African-American Dupree family, described as a "powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that epitomises Black royalty."
