As Julie says goodbye to Doug, she says hi to…Doug?!?

They say that when a door closes, a window opens. It turns out that this is definitely true for Salem, because while the soap town continues to deal with the death of longtime leading man Doug Williams (and the real-life demise of actor Bill Hayes), a mysterious newcomer with a shocking connection to the late Julie’s husband is coming!

In the episode, which airs on Tuesday, December 3, Julie crosses paths with a young man who seems oddly familiar. As it turns out, this is because he is the still unknown grandson of her late husband! Although little is known about Doug Williams III, the guys from TV Insider to announce that he will be the grandson of everyone’s beloved patriarch!

If the young man playing Doug looks familiar, it’s no surprise: Peyton Meyer first came to people’s attention during his time as Lucas on the show. Girl meets world. Most recently, he was the lovable goof Tripp on the ABC sitcom. American house ownerfe.

More: The Doug and Hope story we never got to see

Meyer told TV Insider that when he accepted the role, he didn’t realize how important the role was and that he would be associated with one of daytime’s most iconic characters. He also didn’t realize that his debut episode would be the one in which Salem said goodbye to Doug Sr., or that his first scenes would be with Hayes’ real-life widow, Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie).

Meyer says he works in Days was “one of the best experiences of my career.” But as many actors learn when they join the show, it’s not easy! “I didn’t realize how difficult it would be,” he admits. “It feels like someone paid me to go to an intense acting boot camp!”

More: Why is this Days the star has burned out!

So what can we expect from this new Doug? Meyer’s description leads us to believe that his alter ego will have a lot in common with Doug, who first arrived in Salem many years ago. “When I first met Doug, he was a mischievous guy,” admits the actor. “He gets in and out of trouble. Wherever he goes, chaos will come with him!

Want to know who else is coming to Salem in the coming weeks? Check this handy gallery!