NBC RENEWS ICONIC DRAMA "DAYS OF OUR LIVES" FOR 52ND SEASON

More Tales From Salem Are Ahead as Venerable Daytime Series Continues to Deliver for Its Loyal Audience

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Feb. 21, 2017 - "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."

Those words, which have drawn millions of eager viewers to their television sets for six decades, will remain a high point of the broadcast day for a record 52nd season with the announcement today of NBC's latest renewal of the acclaimed drama "Days of our Lives."

"We feel so privileged to be able to continue the remarkable legacy of 'Days of our Lives,'" said Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment." "We thank Ken Corday and his team for their incredible accomplishments and look forward to all the stories from Salem that will continue to unfold."

Said Ken Corday, executive producer: "It's a great day in Salem! We're pleased to announce that after more than 51 years in the hearts and homes of our amazing fans, 'Days of our Lives' will continue to be part of the NBC family. We are grateful to our incredible network and longstanding partner Sony for their continued support, and we look forward to what the future will bring under the new creative direction of the show. I'm especially proud to be able to shepherd 'Days' into the new season, continuing my parents dream and the show's legacy."

Steve Kent, Senior Executive Vice President, Programming, Sony Pictures Television, added: "'Days of our Lives' has a legacy of rich storytelling that has traveled across generations. Ken Corday and the cast and crew continue to deliver dynamic storylines and unforgettable performances, and we are proud to continue to bring this award-winning series to audiences both in the U.S. and around the world."

In January, Emmy Award winner Ron Carlivati was named new head writer with Sheri Anderson Thomas and Ryan Quan on board as creative consultants.

"Days of our Lives," which aired its 13,000th episode in January, 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 is currently in its 51st season and remains a favorite among critics and fans alike. "Days of our Lives" airs nationally on NBC in the United States and in more than 25 countries internationally. The show has garnered 46 Emmy Awards, including most recently 2013 and 2015's Outstanding Daytime Drama, and 276 nominations, as well as multiple People's Choice Awards, GLAAD Media Awards and Prism Awards.

"Days of our Lives" is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem. 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.