For 50 years, Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) has been a key player in the soap world as one of the most beloved characters on “Days of Our Lives.” In fact, the hit Peacock soap honored her milestone anniversary last summer and proved the show was still thrilled to have Maggie in the mix.
However, recently Maggie has been MIA as the trouble with Titan explodes, and her granddaughter, Holly (Ashley Puzemis), was hospitalized for arsenic poisoning. It’s very unlike Maggie to be away during these major family crises, which has some fans wondering why the legacy character remains off-screen.
Where is Maggie on ‘Days of Our Lives’?
Maggie’s daughter, Sarah (Linsey Godfrey), has explained more than once that her mother has been away caring for her sister, Melissa (Lisa Trusel). However, the real reason Maggie has been off-screen was that Rogers was battling cancer.
Last fall, news broke that the soap legend was diagnosed with Stage II colorectal cancer and underwent treatment in the summer of 2025. Rogers explained that she took a break from the hit Peacock soap while undergoing treatment, with her co-stars Godfrey and Paul Telfer (Xander) by her side.
Since “Days of Our Lives” films ten months in advance, Rogers’ absence wasn’t featured on-screen until May 2026. It’s unclear how long Rogers took off from the show during that time or when Maggie will be back on the canvas.
The good news is that during the 60th anniversary celebration for “Days of Our Lives,” Rogers confirmed that her cancer was in remission. Rogers admitted the experience changed her outlook on life, explaining that she doesn’t worry about the small stuff anymore.
Suzanne Rogers Addresses ‘Days of Our Lives’ Future
Even before Rogers had to take her temporary break to battle her health crisis, Maggie hadn’t been at the forefront like she was in years past. After Victor (John Aniston) died and Konstantin (John Kapelos) tried to use Maggie to steal his fortune, Maggie has been on the back burner more.
The character is now often used as a sounding board for Sarah, Holly, and others. Maggie has also been used to showcase life after loss, as Maggie, Julie (Susan Seaforth Hayes), and Deidre Hall (Marlena) all grieve the loss of their husbands.
In March, Rogers spoke out to clarify her status with the show, especially as the soap has undergone some major behind-the-scenes changes.
“Soaps are like a roller coaster. You know you’re up, and you’re down, you’ve got a story, and then, you don’t have a story… and that’s just the way that soap operas operate,” she expressed. “Every time we get new writers come over, it takes them a while to get to know our characters and to write for us.”
In 2024, Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford took over as co-head writers, replacing Ron Carlivati, who was the head writer for seven years. Last month, news broke that Ryan Quan was taking over as co-head writer with Ford and that Cwikly was stepping into a consultant role.
Rogers may be off-screen, but the beloved soap star has reassured fans she has no plans to retire. The actress has said more than once that the powers that be will have to lock her out of the studio if they want her to leave.
