Bell-Phillip Television Productions is developing a reality TV show tied to The Bold and the Beautiful. Variety reports the company has teamed up with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives executive producer Jeff Jenkins to deliver an unscripted program that’ll bring new faces to the soap opera.
Key Takeaways
- The format of B&B’s reality show.
- Why the series leans into current TV culture.
- How an unscripted program could pay off for B&B.
B&B Turns to Reality TV Show for Casting
Bold and the Beautiful Unscripted—a working title for the program—is a reality competition series. The goal of the participants, who are reality TV stars, is to land a speaking role or guest spot on the CBS daytime drama. Each member of the cast has aspirations to make it on the small screen. They’ll be competing weekly at Sunset Las Palmas Studios and B&B’s soundstages for a chance to live out their dream.
The series looks to be bringing together elements meant to grow the soap’s audience. Its activity and engagement on social media have increased over the last year. From behind-the-scenes videos, short Q&As with the cast, humorously captioned clips, compilations of iconic moments, and more, B&B’s online presence has been improving.
Bringing in reality TV stars with their own followings is sure to add to the social push. A competition show that gives the audience the opportunity to see the winners acting on the soap every week is a major return on investment. Not just for B&B but for fans locked in to see who’s going to win and how they’re going to perform.
The Impact of Unscripted Programming and Social Media
The unscripted B&B series could benefit the soap similarly to how Hallmark has drawn interest with Finding Mr. Christmas, the streaming original that sees the winner cast in a role in a Hallmark movie. If ordered to series, the move would also expand on a strategy that’s paying off for ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
Although controversial, the inclusion of reality TV stars with large followings in the dance competition has revitalized the long-running program for younger viewers. This is due to increased social media engagement. TikTok, a platform used regularly by pro dancers like Rylee Arnold, has been a point of discovery for new fans.
Likely, B&B’s unscripted program is a play toward social-first viewers. They’re the kind of media consumers who tune in once something gains traction on their feed. With so many TV offerings and declining cable viewership, it’s more important than ever for shows to have an online presence.
Incorporating a competition series helps with creating new and engaging content. It also helps in one other crucial way. B&B has been increasing the number of young people on the show to build a world around the next-generation cast, separate from the veterans. This show could provide a pool of actors for minor roles and possibly find the show’s next young star.
