‘Bold and the Beautiful’ in Italy! Thorsten Kaye Teases Ridge-Brooke-Nick Triangle Reaches New Heights

The Bold and the Beautiful will kick off its Italian remote next week, as Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye), Eric Forrester (John McCook), Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang), and Nick Marone (Jack Wagner) stamp their passports for a fashion show abroad.

Known for its global fanbase — especially in Italy — the soap has a long history of turning location shoots into coveted cast experiences. This marks the sixth time in B&B‘s 38-year history that it has filmed there. “I love going to Italy,” says Kaye. “They know who we are, and it means something to them. It does make you feel like you’re doing something that people really enjoy, and I love that people are really excited to see us.”

Look for the Ridge/Brooke/Nick dynamic to reach new dramatic heights as the characters take in the stunning sights. Although Ridge is now engaged to ex-wife Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig), it’s only natural for romantic tension to play out in the country where Ridge and Brooke rekindled their romance two years ago.

Sean Smith/Bell-Phillip Productions

“I think Ridge will always love Brooke,” observes Kaye. “That’s not been the question. He just may feel that he’s a better person when he’s with Taylor. So, it’s not about not loving somebody — Ridge always feels that he should be with Brooke because they’ve always been together — but the feelings he has for Taylor are real. He has a family with her as well. I love working with both these women. As far as Ridge goes, I think Ridge wants to make everybody happy. That’s never a good idea.”

Adding fuel to the fire, Nick’s reappearance in Brooke’s life as a true rival for her affections has shifted her connection with Ridge. “I think Ridge feels threatened, not necessarily by Nick as a person, but by any man who walks in and is ready to give Brooke the full attention she deserves,” relays Kaye. “I think Ridge is threatened by that, because he can’t do it. I think the insecurity is that she’s going to see that Ridge is not irreplaceable.”

Sean Smith/Bell-Phillip Productions

Beyond the emotional twists, a slew of outdoor scenes will showcase the beauty of Naples and Capri, plus there will be a glamorous fashion show on the terrace of the famed La Canzone del Mare restaurant that incorporates the nostalgic vibe of the region. “The cool thing about Capri is that it’s old school,” notes Kaye. “It’s David Niven and Humphrey Bogart, and just style and class. And that’s what they brought out in that fashion show.”

Related

Jack Wagner Explains Nick's Surprise 'Bold and the Beautiful' Return.. in Italy!

The soap tapped local designer, Luisa Beccaria, to provide the wardrobe for both the fashion show and Lang’s on-location wardrobe. “My brand is very Italian and very niche, but at the same time represents the Mediterranean spirit and elegance,” Beccaria explains. “The summer collection represents the spirit of what Capri was when Jackie Kennedy was going there and all the celebrities were sitting in the piazza, with the scarf in the hair and the big hats and the shorts matching the bra. It is very much the beautiful ’60s look of Capri when Capri was really a hot place, and probably in the imagery of the Americans. They wanted to replicate that kind of chicness, so when they watch the show from their sitting room or their kitchen, it brings a bit of Italian glamour and elegance. There is nothing simple about it.”

Beccaria and two of her daughters, Lucilla and Luna, will appear in the episodes on location. “Brad [Bell, executive producer and head writer] said to me, ‘Last time, we used Andrea Bocelli as our star and he performed but he was also part of the show, and I would very much appreciate if you would be in the show, making a proper welcome to the island and representing the ‘Italian chic’ during these episodes,’” she relays. “So, we participated, and it was such a fun experience.”

Sean Smith/Bell-Phillip Productions.

For Kaye, it was too. As he looks back on the 12 years he’s spent on the soap, he reflects, “It’s the longest role I’ve ever had, which is kind of cool. We did six months to start with, and then another six months, and then a year, and all of a sudden, look. It goes by fast. If somebody had told me, ‘You’ve done this for five years,’ I probably would agree with them. But we’re still having fun, and we’re still telling stories that people want to hear.

“People say, ‘Oh, my work is like a family. This show is like a family,” he continues. “It’s not like a family. My family’s my family. But the next nicest place for me to go is work, because, yes, we’re not family, but we all respect each other, and we respect the way we approach the work. And we get to travel.”

With the Italy episodes about to air, Kaye encourages viewers to come along for the trip. “Without question, these are some of the most beautiful places in the world,” he previews. “In addition to the mystery of Naples, there’s something about being on an island. Something could happen because weather could come in, or somebody that knows a lot about boats may not know as much as he thinks he does…. You’ve got to tune in for it.”

The Bold and the Beautiful, Weekdays, CBS, Check Local Listings