On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of Days of Our Lives, fans of the NBC soap opera got a wonderful gift. The network announced that Days has been renewed for not just one, but two more seasons on NBC.

Daytime dramas have of course greatly declined in popularity over the past several years. NBC cancelled Passions a couple years ago and CBS ended their long-running As the World Turns and Guiding Light after many decades on the air. Days of Our Lives has been on the verge of cancellation several times so this news is particularly welcome for the show’s fans, cast, and crew.

Ken Corday, the soap’s executive producer and the son of Days’ co-creators, told the NY Times that he broke down in tears when he received the call. He said, “This is a time of a lot of uncertainty in the soap community” and noted that the best he had hoped for was a one-year renewal. The soap went through severe budget cuts two seasons ago and those cost cutting measures saved the network 40% in license fees and has made it possible for the show to continue.

Here’s the official press release from NBC…

NBC PICKS UP ‘DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ FOR TWO MORE SEASONS AS ICONIC DRAMA CELEBRATES ITS 45TH ANNIVERSARY TODAY

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – November 8, 2010 – NBC has picked up its daytime drama “Days of our Lives” – which is celebrating its 45th season today on NBC — for two more years through the 2012-13 season. The announcement was made today by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment.

“‘Days of our Lives’ remains vitally creative through the years as it continues to draw new generations of viewers, especially among its loyal female audience” said Gaspin. “NBC salutes the series on its 45th anniversary and we look forward with great anticipation to working with the production team for the years to come.”

“This important and enduring series is an iconic part of NBC’s history as well as that of daytime drama,” said Bruce Evans, Senior Vice President, Current Programming, NBC Entertainment. “The creative team, cast and crew work hard each day to ensure that ‘Days’ continues to remain fresh and relevant to its legions of devoted fans across the country.”

“With great joy, I am pleased to announce the best news any soap opera could receive. ‘Days of our Lives’ has been picked up through September of 2013,” said Ken Corday, executive producer of “Days.” “We extend our greatest gratitude to NBC for blessing us with the gift of such an amazing commitment.”

“We continue to be big believers in the serialized daytime drama and we’re thrilled that our great partners at NBC have renewed ‘Days of our Lives,'” said Steve Mosko, president, Sony Pictures Television. “An iconic global brand, ‘Days’ entertains millions of loyal, engaged viewers, on television and online, in the US and around the world.”

“Days of our Lives” (Monday-Friday, 1-2 p.m. in most markets; check local listings) first premiered as a half-hour drama in 1965 and expanded to an hour 10 years later. Today, it remains a consistent favorite among viewers of daytime television serials and is currently tied for #4 for the season among all daytime dramas in women 18-49, tied for #2 in women 18-34 and tied for #1 among girls 12-17, according to Nielsen Media Research. Through six weeks of the 2010-11 season, “Days” is averaging 2.6 million viewers.

In its 45 years, “Days of our Lives” has garnered numerous Emmy Awards and nominations, as well as multiple Soap Opera Digest and People’s Choice Awards. “Days of our Lives” is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem. The core families are the Bradys, the Hortons and the DiMeras, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama.

“Days of our Lives” is produced by Corday Productions Inc., in association with Sony Pictures Television. Executive producer Ken Corday is following in the tradition of his parents, Betty and Ted Corday, who co-created “Days of our Lives” and helmed the series for many years. Gary Tomlin is also executive producer. Dena Higley is the head writer and Christopher Whitesell is co-head writer.

What do you think? Are you glad to hear that Days has been renewed for two more years?

Image courtesy NBC.