The Real Reason Tyler Christopher Left Days Of Our Lives

Fans of daytime television know Tyler Christopher very well. The soap opera vet has played major parts in two beloved sudsers, "General Hospital” and "Days of Our Lives." Christopher started out with the role of Nikolas Cassadine on "General Hospital” in 1996, a role that earned him his first Daytime Emmy nomination (via Soaps). The actor left the role in 1999, but reprised his character in 2003 before exiting again in 2011.

Then in 2017, Christopher stepped into an exciting role as one of Stefano DiMera's many children on "Days of Our Lives." The actor portrayed the character of Stefan O. DiMera, who became an instant hit among viewers. In 2018, it was announced that Christopher was taking a leave of absence from the soap opera and that his former "General Hospital" co-star Brandon Barash would be taking over the role, per TVLine. However, Christopher never returned to the NBC sudser and Barash ended up taking on the role permanently (via Soap Dirt).

The character of Stefan DiMera immediately began to cause chaos as soon as he was introduced to "Days of Our Lives" viewers. Stefan was revealed to be the biological son of Salem's biggest villain Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) and Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel), per Soap Central. During Christopher's run as Stefan, the character found himself drawn to Abigail Deveraux DiMera (Kate Mansi, Marci Miller), the wife of his younger brother Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn). Stefan was also the first person to know that Abigail was suffering from a split personality disorder, per Soaps in Depth.

After Christopher's departure from "Days of Our Lives," Brandon Barash played the character as he fell in love with Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus). Sadly, viewers watched Stefan die after he jumped in front of a bullet that was meant for his mother (via Soaps). Stefan's heart was later donated to Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) and not long after his passing it was revealed that he had an identical twin brother named Jake DiMera. In the summer of 2022, Stefan was brought back from the dead when his preserved body was given his twin brother's heart after Jake was shot and killed during a mugging, per Soaps.

With Stefan being such a popular character, it's surprising that Christopher would leave the soap. However, the actor has since revealed the heartbreaking reason why he departed the show.

Tyler Christopher has been very open about his battle with alcohol addiction. The actor admits that his substance abuse issues cost him his job at "Days of Our Lives." During a conversation on Maurice Benard's mental health series, "State of Mind," the actor got candid about exiting the soap opera (via Soap Spoiler).

"It crushed me, because I took for granted the one thing I love the most," Christopher admitted. "It was devastating for a myriad of reasons. One, the thing that I love the most was taken away," he continued. "Two, I threw it away. Nobody took it away from me. I dropped it, OK? Having to walk out the doors under those circumstances? That was like, 'This is for real, dude.' And I haven't been back since. That ship has sailed."

According to Soaps in Depth, Christopher has struggled with alcohol abuse for many years and has suffered many health scares, including having flatlined on three separate occasions from complications due to alcohol poisoning and withdrawal. The actor is now sober and ready to get back to acting. He's also writing a book about his experiences, per Daytime Confidential.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)