The Bold And The Beautiful Set Is Historic For A Surprising Reason
"The Bold and the Beautiful" has been must-see daytime viewing for decades. Created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, who also are the minds behind "The Young and the Restless," the soap opera debuted on CBS in March 1987, centering on the lives of three families: the Forresters, the Logans, and the Spencers. With the show set in the glitzy world of Beverly Hills, the show featured some pretty impressive guest stars throughout the years, including Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows, Carol Channing, Fabio, Charlton Heston, according to Soap Hub.
The show is now seen in more than 100 countries, with over 35 million people watching each day (per TV Over Mind). Some of the notable names that have landed starring roles on "The Bold and the Beautiful" include Denise Richards, Gina Rodriguez, Usher, and Mario Lopez (per Hollywood Life) — and Betty White, who played Ann Douglas, the mother of the show's matriarch, Stephanie Forrester.
The soap has gone on to win more than 70 Daytime Emmy awards, taking home the trophy for Outstanding Drama Series three times (per IMDb). And in 2020, Heather Tom, who played Katie Logan, won her sixth Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress, tying the record held by "One Life to Live" star Erika Slezak. "The Bold and the Beautiful" also made history when it gave a transgender character several front burner storylines. But what might surprise many fans is that, through it all, the soap has never left its original soundstage.
The soap opera has been on the same soundstage since the beginning
While many soap operas have moved locations throughout their run, "The Bold and the Beautiful" has been filming on the same soundstage — stage 31 at the CBS Television City in Los Angeles — for over 30 years, according to TV Over Mind. The show has traveled to other destinations for storyline purposes, including Monte Carlo, Australia, Paris, and Copenhagen (per IMDb).
"Anything goes when you're shooting on the fly, and you realize you make anything work," supervising producer Casey Kasprzyk told TV Insider of shooting in Monaco. "Our actors were incredible. They worked ridiculously long days, then promoted the show at night."
And it's no surprise that CBS has renewed the show through 2024. "For over three decades, 'The Bold and the Beautiful' has been a cornerstone of the CBS Daytime lineup," Amy Reisenbach, EVP Current Programs, CBS Entertainment, said (via Deadline). "The show has been a creative and ratings success due to the supremely talented cast, writers and producers that Brad Bell has assembled," She added, "we are delighted to be able to continue to offer them a daily look into the romances and rivalries between the Forrester, Logan and Spencer families."