CHRISTMAS CASTING BONANZA!!!

Big casting changes are coming to Salem Lives this December!!! As previously reported, Patsy Pease will make her long rumored return to the role of Kimberly Brady later this month. "We wanted to bring her back sooner, like right after the funerals this summer, but were unable to," notes EP/HW Tim Lowery. "Now we are and she will be sticking around, like Shane (Charles Shaughnessy) has for awhile." In addition, Tom Welling and Michelle Williams are returning to the roles of Andrew and Jeannie Donovon and will return with their mother, Kimberly. "They will leave after Christmas," says Lowery. "We need them with their parents but there is nothing for them to stay for and both actors have other things going on, like Tom having Smallville, so it works out fine." Look for Kim and the kids to show up around Christmas. Look for final word on an official first airdate soon.

In addition to these holiday tidbits, there is more. The recent Horton returns of Melissa Horton (Lisa Trusel), Sarah Horton (Alli Brown), Bill Horton (Kale Brown), and the return of non-Horton Don Craig (Jed Allen) will end on December 26. Also, look for Jaime Lyn Bauer's Laura Horton to depart with Bill as well as her story will be winding down. "We loved having all of them but Laura and Bill were here to move Jack (Matthew Ashford) and Abby (Ashley Benson) along and that story is ending and the other returns were to help Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) during her bout with alcoholism and those stories are over," notes Lowery. "In many ways, the returns having to do with Maggie were extended so we could have those family members here for the holidays so they would've been gone already. We are glad we were able to have them for the holidays and we want the fans to enjoy the rest of their current run, which I am sure they will."

Also, look for Christie Clark (Carrie Brady) to reappear just in time for Christmas. "There has not been much for her with Alan (Paul Kersey) in Salem and her part of the story in holding pattern but she will be around for the holidays and then go away again," previews Lowery. Her story will really get going in early 2007. As for Joseph Mascolo (Stefano) and Renee Jones (Lexie), don't expect to see them much either. "They appear on Dec. 1 and on Dec 5 and then they have another one episode appearance after that before they go totally MIA until the end of the month when we revisit the war story again," says Lowery. "Then you will be seeing alot of them, especially around New Year's."

In other holiday news, Martha Madison ends her 8-10 week hiatus and will return to the role of Belle Brady-Kiriakis next week. Ava and Olivia White will also return as little Claire Kiriakis. However, the big question mark is who will be playing Philip and that is a question Salem Lives wants the fans to answer. "We want fan input," says Lowery. "We want the fans to send us their comments and and opinions. We have some actors in mind but we feel they have some ideas as well so send them on in!!" Fans will have until Friday December 8 to speak their minds as nuPhilip is expected to debut next week!!!

Finally, Salem Lives has hired soap vet Roscoe Born to play a new role. The characters name or details about the character are not known except that he is said to be a middle class, family patriarch who works for Victor (John Aniston). He is expected to debut later this month. More on this at a later time.

***MAKE SURE TO READ THIS WEEK'S SALEM LIVES INSIDER BELOW THIS CASTING RELEASE!!!***