News Update: How The Bold and The Beautiful Will Keep Romance Alive In The Age Of COVID-19

The Bold and the Beautiful continues to make history. Not only is it the world’s most-widely watched soap, but it’s also the first known American scripted TV show to return to production during the coronavirus. How will the show produce romance given that social-distancing is still a concern?

The Bold and the Beautiful Gets Creative

Bradley Bell, the soap’s executive producer and head writer gave an interview to a business publication to talk about how he’ll continue to produce soaps during this challenging time. “We were cutting all of the kisses, and the shows weren’t the same,” Bell told Forbes.

Instead, BB will employ innovative shooting techniques to make it look like characters are nose to nose, but instead, they’ll be safely apart. “[T]hey’ll be shooting scenes all by themselves,” Bell notes. How will the cast pull off simulated sex scenes? BB will use stand-ins and blow-up dolls and even actors’ real-life spouses and significant others to simulate more intimate scenes.

Who might BB reach out to for help during this time? The Forbes article didn’t indicate who might be pinch-hitting, but BB fans know that a few actors on the half-hour sudser are wed to performers in real-life. Darin Brooks’ (Wyatt) wife is Kelly Kruger (ex-Mac, The Young and the Restless), who has played Eva on BB. John McCook’s wife Laurette Spang McCook starred on Battlestar Galactica. Don Diamont’s wife Cindy Ambuehl played Kim on BB in 1996.

Dusting Off The Dolls

“We have some life-like blow-up dolls that have been sitting around here for the past 15 years, that we’ve used for various other stories — (like) when people were presumed dead,” shared Bell. “We’re dusting off the dolls and putting new wigs and make-up on them and they’ll be featured in love scenes.”

BB: Keeping It Safe

A trained COVID-19 coordinator will be on set to oversee safety measures, which include (but are not limited to) limiting the number of people on stage at a given time and people staying at safe distances. Plexiglas will be placed in the production booth, separating the director from the assistant director.

“I’m in the parking lot now, reviewing protocols,” added Bell. “We plan to get our first shots [today, Wednesday] and Thursday and Friday we’ll roll into full production. Of course, if there are any red flags or concerns, we’ll stop. Because safety is first.”

So, now that BB has figured things out and plans to go this route, will the other soaps soon follow suit? The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for air times.