Days of Our Lives star Brandon Barash is leaving Salem, claiming that he was fired from the long-running soap opera after 5 years.

“I knew exactly what was happening as soon as I was called up to [the boss’] office,” Barash, 45, told SheKnows’ Soaps.com in an interview published on Friday, October 25. “And she said, ‘Look, this is not my doing. I don’t like it. And this is no reflection on you or your abilities. You’re very talented. We know your work ethic is very high, but it’s just where we’re deciding to take the character.’”

The actor, who played twins Stefan and Jake DiMera on Days, further claimed that he “was in the middle of a contract, and it was the writers’ decision.” Days of Our Lives has not addressed Barash’s claims or exit. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.

Barash’s last episode as Stefan airs on Monday, October 28, seven months after he was first informed about his exit.

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“Of course, the ego is like, ‘Oh, OK, that hurt,’” he admitted on Friday. “But I walked out of the office equal parts shocked and excited about what was around the corner.”

Barash also doesn’t know whether his Stefan will ever return to Days down the line.

“This is the second time this has happened to me on Days of Our Lives. And, you know, it would have to be very, very right,” Barash explained. “The terms would have to be right. The story would have to be right. The contract would have to be right.”

He added, “I would have to be able to trust them — and I’ve lost that. I’ve lost that ability to trust that team, quite frankly.”

Barash joined Days in 2019, taking over the role of Stefan from Tyler Christopher. He was killed off the same year before returning in 2020. Barash’s show return introduced Stefan’s twin brother, Jake, who was fatally shot in a July 2022 episode.

“How it started/how it’s going. #ripjake It was fun getting to know you. 🙏🥃,” Barash wrote via Instagram at the time, sharing pics of his Days costume.

Weeks earlier, head writer Ron Carlivati previewed Jake’s death.

“Another major character is going to be killed, like, in the fairly near future,” Carlivati said in a July 2023 interview with Michael Fairman. “They will be killed and it leads to big story, not a murder mystery. It’s not Marlena, I’ll just say that.”