Jen Lilley among stars returning to Days of Our Lives for Victor sendoff

Jen Lilley is returning to Days of Our Lives along with other former cast members to pay tribute to John Aniston's iconic Days character, Victor Kiriakis. The Hallmark Channel and Great American Family star confirmed on social media that she will reprise her role as Theresa Donovan during Victor's send-off that begins the week of August 28.

Soap Opera Digest first reported the news, which was confirmed by Lilley's social media post. The "cat's out of the bag and there's so much behind the scenes y'all don't know," she wrote.

Lilley first debuted on Days of Our Lives in 2013 as the aged-up version of Theresa Donovan, daughter to Shane (Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly Brady (Patsy Pease). She left the soap in 2016 but returned for three months in 2018.

These days Lilley is known for her holiday movies. She starred in a number of Hallmark Channel original holiday movies like Mingle All the Way and USS Christmas before signing an exclusive deal with the Great American Family network.

Lilley also teased that Zach Tinker will return in the role of Sonny Kiriakis, Victor's nephew. "Tink is one to watch," she wrote.

The memorial for Victor Kiriakis begins the week of August 28, though the story of his death is currently playing out on the show after his plane was reported missing. While his loved ones hoped it meant he extended his trip, it turned out that he left several days early and now debris has been spotted in the Mediterranean Sea.

Actor John Aniston, who portrayed Victor for over 35 years, passed away in November 2022. EW noted that Jennifer Aniston celebrated her father's incredible career by presenting him with a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award last summer. "For over 30 years, his dedication to [Days of Our Lives] has gained him respect and admiration of his fellow actors, deep friendships and thrilled millions of fans around the world. His career is literally the definition of lifetime achievement."

Days of Our Lives first premiered in 1965. The soap called NBC its home until 2022 when it made the jump to streaming, landing on Peacock. This year Peacock renewed the series for two seasons, which will carry it all the way through to its 60th anniversary.