Susan Flannery: Two Bold and Beautiful Legends Come Home Again and Tell Fans All About It

Everything "Bold" was new again at The Bold and the Beautiful this week! Original cast member Susan Flannery and soap hopper Ian Buchanan visited the set, and now, the two fan favorites are talking about what it was like to step back in time!

Queen Stephanie

Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie) and Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) | Image: Sean Smith

"It’s definitely like coming home in a way, even though it’s not the same studio," Flannery says, referring to the fact that in 2025, B&B moved from TV City, its home since 1987, to the historic Sunset Las Palmas Studios in Hollywood.

"It’s really lovely to see old faces and old faces with new faces," the three-time Daytime Emmy-winner continued. "It takes you back mentally. You start remembering what it was like back then, even things like how much your feet would ache at the end of the day from wearing six-inch heels. It was just lovely to be back and see everybody.”

Flannery appeared as Stephanie Douglas Forrester starting in B&B's second episode. Her first scenes were with longtime co-star John McCook (Eric). The two traded quips, and it was clear that it was not the first time the husband and wife had exchanged terse words. Eric referred to the "malaise" that had crept into their near-30-year marriage.

Eric and Stephanie split up and reunited a few times over the decades. They were still married when she passed away from cancer in 2012. While Eric was not by Stephanie's side when she went to that great soap opera in the sky, the matriarch wasn't alone. Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang), Stephanie's longtime enemy, rival, friend, and daughter-in-law, was with her when she passed away.

The Good Doctor

Susan Flannery, Brad Bell, and Ian Buchanan | Image: Sean Smith

Buchanan has a long history with B&B, too. He joined the show in 1993 as Dr. James Warwick, the mentor of Dr. Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig). Viewers learned that James was a virgin. He lost his virginity to Taylor after the two survived an earthquake at the Forrester cabin in Big Bear.

Years later, the tryst came to light, which caused trouble in Ridge's (Thorsten Kaye) and Taylor's marriage. James was a longtime pal of Stephanie's. The two were united in uncovering the truth behind Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), and her unlawful past in Genoa City.

Sheila, at one point, kept James captive in the basement of the home that she shared with Eric. James was last seen about 9 years ago when Sheila discovered his drug dependency. Sheila blackmailed James into helping her stay at Eric's home when, in reality, she was well enough to leave.

Might we see Stephanie (as a ghost) and/or James back on the show? Next year, B&B will be celebrating its 40th year on the air!