12 months after it was unceremoniously dumped by channel 9, iconic daytime soap opera Days of our Lives is finally returning to Australian screens thanks to a deal between FOXTEL and SONY.

FOXTEL will launch the soap on it’s Arena channel on Tuesday April 15th starting at 12:50pm with episodes fast tracked to our screens only hours after it’s airing in America.

Even better news for fans, Arena plan to air 10 catch-up episodes prior to the April 15th start, each introduced by cast members, to close the gap in story-lines between the soaps last airing in Australia to the current episodes to be screened.

Foxtel’s general manager of entertainment channels, Brendan Moo, described the show as a ‘‘truly iconic television series”.

‘‘[Days of our Lives] has amassed many generations of fans and we are delighted to be able to bring the series back to Australian television.  We’ve also made the decision to express episodes … which means Foxtel customers will be able to watch the show just hours after it airs in the US and take part in the global fan conversation online and via social networks to enhance their viewing experience.’’

Foxtel will also air a weekly ‘‘omnibus’’ of episodes on Sunday mornings on Arena and make the series available to Foxtel subscribers online through its On Demand service, on set-top boxes or the Foxtel Go iPad app.

Days’ Arena screening will be paired with another daytime soap which FOXTEL rescued from axing – The Young and the Restless, which began screening on Arena in 2007 after it’s axing from free-to-air television.

Nine axed Days of Our Lives last April after 45 years on Australian television before finally returning online via Crackle.com.

Days Of Our Lives Returns to Australian TV’s – SMH

FOXTEL to fast track Days of our Lives – TV Tonight