5 Reasons The Bold and the Beautiful Is Losing Viewers | Contract Expires in 2025

It’s no secret that The Bold and the Beautiful has hit a rough patch with its audience lately. While die-hard fans remain loyal, a growing number of longtime viewers are turning off their screens, and for good reason. From repetitive storylines to controversial casting choices, many believe the soap has lost the spark that once made it so captivating. And with B&B’s current contract with CBS set to expire in 2025, there’s been a lot of speculation about the show’s future. Could this truly be the beginning of the end?

Before we dive into what’s ahead for the soap, let’s explore the five biggest reasons fans say The Bold and the Beautiful just isn’t hitting like it used to.

1. The Never-Ending Love Triangle: Ridge, Brooke, and Taylor

One of the longest-running love triangles in soap history—Ridge Forrester torn between Brooke Logan and Taylor Hayes—has officially worn out its welcome. What once brought intense drama now feels like a broken record on repeat. Ridge continues to bounce between the two women, while both Taylor and Brooke fall into the same emotional traps, year after year.

Taylor, despite being a trained psychiatrist, seems to forget every lesson she’s ever taught her patients, acting more like a teenager in love than a mature woman. Meanwhile, Brooke remains stuck in a desperate cycle of chasing Ridge, forgiving him, and then doing it all over again. There’s no progression—just recycled heartbreak and stale storytelling. Many fans agree: Ridge should move on from both women and give this love triangle the graceful exit it desperately needs.

2. The Web of Inappropriate Relationships

One of the most disturbing trends on B&B has been the rise of what viewers are calling “incestuous” or highly inappropriate pairings. The show has blurred familial lines so often that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of who’s related to whom. It’s creating unease among fans who once tuned in for romance but now question the ethics behind many relationships.

Take Finn and Poppy, for example. While they’re not blood-related, Poppy is still technically Finn’s aunt, which makes their bond more than just awkward. Then there’s Hope and Thomas, who were step-siblings not long ago. And don’t forget Ridge, who has been romantically involved with a staggering number of women connected to his own children. The tangled web of relationships is starting to feel less like complex drama and more like a small town that seriously needs a new dating pool.

3. It’s the “Steffy Show” Now

Steffy Forrester may be a fan-favorite to some, but her constant presence in nearly every storyline is starting to wear thin for many others. Whether it’s Hope, Bill, Sheila, Luna, or even her own family members, Steffy always finds a way into the center of the action. Lately, it seems no story can unfold without her input—even those that should have nothing to do with her.

When fans hoped for more character development around Liam, Bill, or even Ivy, the focus still shifted back to Steffy. She even overshadowed her own brother and father’s storylines, making it feel more like The Steffy and the Beautiful than a show about an ensemble cast. Some viewers feel it’s time for the writers to give other characters room to shine and pull the focus away from Steffy’s overexposed presence.

4. Hope’s Whirlwind of Romance

Hope Logan’s character used to represent strength, heart, and determination. Unfortunately, recent plots have reduced her to a woman constantly jumping from one love interest to the next. First, her marriage to Liam was torn apart. Then she rushed into a chaotic relationship with Thomas. Not long after, she found herself chasing after Finn, and then Carter. The pattern is clear—and fans aren’t loving it.

Instead of building Hope’s character with depth and independence, she’s been portrayed as someone who manipulates and then dumps men as her story demands. What viewers really want is for Hope to reclaim her identity outside of romantic entanglements. It’s time for the writers to give her a strong, standalone arc—something that reminds us of the heroine she once was.

5. The Taylor Recast Controversy

Last but not least, the recasting of Taylor Hayes with actress Rebecca Budig has caused an uproar. While Budig is a talented performer in her own right, many fans believe she just doesn’t embody Taylor the way they remember. Some even say she looks more like Steffy’s sister than her mother, and the emotional essence of the character feels off.

Replacing Christa Allen, who had won many over in the role, has alienated viewers who were deeply invested in Taylor’s journey. The result? A disconnect so strong that it’s driven some fans to stop watching altogether. While recasts are nothing new in the soap world, this one seems to have missed the mark—leaving Taylor’s legacy in limbo.

What About the Show’s Future?

So, with all these issues at play—where does The Bold and the Beautiful go from here?

Well, despite the viewer decline and heavy criticism, the show isn’t going anywhere just yet. While many believed its contract with CBS was ending in 2025, there’s good news for fans who are still rooting for a turnaround. The Bold and the Beautiful has been officially renewed through 2027, meaning we’ve got at least a few more years of drama, romance, and (hopefully) some fresh storytelling.

Still, it’s clear the show needs to listen to its audience if it wants to survive long-term. Revitalizing character arcs, introducing new faces, and finally wrapping up overplayed storylines might be the key to winning back lost fans.