John Oliver, host of HBO's "Last Week Tonight," has made his dream of appearing in a soap opera a reality with a guest role on "Days of Our Lives," according to the show's executive producer Ken Corday. Oliver publicly voiced his wish to star in a soap during a March episode of his talk show, prompting Corday and his writing team to draft a bespoke storyline overnight, with Corday indicating further celebrity cameos could follow.

Oliver played Devlin St. John, described as Salem's "nerdy" chief water inspector, across a three-episode arc broadcast in early August, sharing scenes with established cast members including Susan Seaforth Hayes, Daniel Feuerriegel and Jackée Harry. At his own request, the storyline included soap staples such as being slapped, a long-lost-relative twist and a dramatic close-up, and Corday praised Oliver as a "consummate professional" who mastered the show's rapid nine-episodes-a-week filming pace. "Days of Our Lives," which turns 61 in November, previously featured Oliver on "General Hospital" in June, and Corday named Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling as future guests he'd welcome.