A classic daytime soap opera is getting a new life—this time through audio.
Love of Life, the long-running CBS daytime drama that aired from 1951 until 1980, is being revived as a scripted audio drama. The news was first reported by Daytime Confidential.
Created by Roy Winsor, Love of Life originally centered on the Dale sisters, Vanessa and Meg, whose very different personalities made them the heart of the series.
Vanessa, the good-hearted sister who generally found herself on the side of right, was originated by the late Peggy McCay, who would go on to become a longtime star of Days of our Lives. Meg, Vanessa's scheming sister, was originally played by Jean McBride, who remained with the series from its debut until 1958. The role was later portrayed by Tudi Wiggins from 1974 until the show's finale in 1980.
Now, more than four decades after Love of Life left the CBS daytime lineup, the soap is being reimagined for a new generation.
The audio revival is being developed by Casey S. Hutchison, host of The Chat podcast and the creator and showrunner of the audio soap Haven Falls. Hutchison will oversee the new Love of Life, with Erik Andrus, his collaborator on the audio series Forever and a Day, serving as co-head writer.
The new production will also have a connection to the original series. Paul Sladkus, who worked as an associate producer on Love of Life during its original run, will serve as a consultant.
According to the plans for the revival, the new Love of Life will honor the legacy of the original soap while also introducing new characters and stories. That approach will allow longtime soap fans to reconnect with a familiar title while giving new listeners an opportunity to discover the world of Love of Life for the first time.
The revival is scheduled to begin production in March 2027.
For a soap opera that premiered during the early days of television and remained on the air for nearly three decades, the return of Love of Life is a remarkable second act. And in an era when audio dramas and podcasts have created new possibilities for serialized storytelling, the format could prove to be a fitting home for this classic soap.
The original Love of Life may have ended in 1980, but the world created by Roy Winsor is getting another chance to live on.
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