It’s a done deal: NBC has renewed its long-running daytime drama series Days Of Our Lives for a record 56th season.

The announcement comes two weeks after NBC Chairman Paul Telegdy at TCA confirmed that the daytime soap will be coming back.

“Of course Days of Our Lives is going to carry on. We love it…. I know that will be good news for the fans,” he said then, later confirming that the plan was for the series would stay on NBC, not move to the upcoming Peacock streaming service.

Renewal negotiations had been going on for months. According to sources, the holdup in reaching a deal was related to distributor Sony Pictures TV finding ways to adjust the show’s business model, including international sales, so they can continue to make it without going in the red. Because of Days Of Our Lives‘ age and declining linear ratings in all day parts, including daytime, the show is no longer profitable for Sony TV but I hear there was full commitment by the studio and the network to find a way to keep Days Of Our Lives on the air and cancellation was never an option.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES — Pictured: (l-r) Victoria Konefal, Ken Corday, Susan Hayes, Bill Hayes, Deidre Hall Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC

As Deadline previously reported, Days Of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday of Corday Prods., which produces the daytime drama, told the cast back in November that the show was going to be renewed. That announcement came 10 days after word got out that the entire cast had been released from their contracts.

“We are most grateful to NBC for their enduring faith in the future of Days of our Lives, and we are excited to continue delivering compelling stories to our loyal family of fans into this new decade,” Corday said today when the renewal was made official.

Not picking up actors’ options was a cost-saving measure while renewal negotiations were going on, and the cast is expected to return, sources said.

“From our incredibly loyal fan base to our wonderful writers, cast and crew, the enthusiasm for Days never wavers,” said Bruce Evans, EVP, Current Programming, NBC Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to bring viewers another season of a show that has cemented its place in television history and touches all generations.”

Added Steve Kent, Senior EVP, Programming, Sony Pictures Television: “Ken Corday and his team continue to build on the legacy of quality storytelling and intriguing characters that connect with audiences of all ages. We are thrilled that viewers in the U.S. and around the world will be able to enjoy the award-winning Days of our Lives for another season.”

Days of our Lives, which aired its 13,755th episode in 2019, remains a television institution. The show first premiered as a half-hour drama in 1965 and expanded to an hour 10 years later. The show has garnered 57 Emmy Awards, including most recently 2015 and 2018’s Outstanding Daytime Drama, and 350 nominations, as well as multiple People’s Choice Awards, GLAAD Media Awards and Prism Awards.

Set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem, Days of our Lives airs nationally on NBC in the U.S. and in more than 25 countries internationally. The core families are the Bradys, Hortons and DiMeras, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama.

Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions, Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ken Corday is the executive producer with co-executive producers Greg Meng and Albert Alarr. Ron Carlivati is the head writer.