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So went the 'Days' of her life: Alison Sweeney departs soap after 21-year run

No one should ever have reason to question Alison Sweeney's job loyalty. She's hosted "The Biggest Loser" for eight years, but that's just a drop in the bucket — on Thursday, the actress ended a 21-year run over at iconic soap "Days of Our Lives."The last episode of Sweeney portraying Sami Brady aired on Thursday afternoon, after which she posted a message to her fans on Facebook about her journ
Alison Sweeney
NBC

No one should ever have reason to question Alison Sweeney's job loyalty. She's hosted "The Biggest Loser" for eight years, but that's just a drop in the bucket — on Thursday, the actress ended a 21-year run over at iconic soap "Days of Our Lives."

Alison Sweeney as Sami Brady from \"Days of Our Lives.\"
Alison Sweeney as Sami Brady from \"Days of Our Lives.\"Today

The last episode of Sweeney portraying Sami Brady aired on Thursday afternoon, after which she posted a message to her fans on Facebook about her journey. 

The actress wasn't the first person to play the troubled, troublemaking Sami, but once she stepped into those shoes, there was no going back. During her run, she chased after men (Austin), was half of a love-hate pairing (Lucas), birthed four children, was attacked and fired back (literally), and became one of the long-running show's most memorable characters.

"No question — I am #teamSami," she wrote." I have always rooted for her ... to finally stop putting her foot in her mouth, being her own worst enemy, eternally needing her parents approval, oh, this list could go on and on."

Sweeney was just 16 when she took over the role of Sami, and told Queen Latifah on Thursday that there were challenges with growing up on camera. 

"I was a little bit thicker when I was a kid and it was hard for me to get used to people commenting on my weight," she said. "I feel like I got to be a better person, a better actor for the wonderful fans that are out there."

She'll miss all of those fans, as she noted on Facebook, and asked that they keep up with her on "Biggest Loser." 

"I'm still going to be around okay?!" she wrote. "So this isn't really goodbye. At least it isn't goodbye for me. This is just my opportunity to say a great, big, sincere, tearful, THANK YOU. For everything. Every cheer, every tear, every tweet, post and letter."

Of course, in the grand tradition of soap operas, don't expect that Sweeney is gone forever. As she tweeted to a fan:

.@bartlett_23+i+will+DEFINITELY+come+back+to+#Days+hoepfully+the+50th?!+#BiggestLoser

—+Alison+Sweeney+(@Ali_Sweeney)+October+31,+2014+

Stay tuned.

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