The Bold and the Beautiful Recap, January 19: Donna begs Eric to leave Katie's company and return to Forrester

On the January 19, 2026, episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, R.J. and Electra bonded, Will asked for job clarity, and Donna fumed at Katie for bringing Eric on board as her lead designer.

What happened on The Bold and the Beautiful

The Bold and the Beautiful's Brooke was surprised to see Eric at Katie's office | Image: CBS

Brooke was shocked to see Eric at Spencer, but Eric was equally surprised to see her. Eric was glad to hear that Brooke had attempted to support Katie's new fashion endeavor.

Brooke explained to Eric that she was on the verge of learning the identity of Logan's lead designer when he walked in. Eric didn't want to interrupt any potential forward progress between the embattled siblings, so he wanted to head out.

Brooke wondered why Eric would leave without learning the name of Katie's designer. She assumed that he must've been slightly curious about who was helping Katie get her startup brand off the ground.

Luckily for Eric and Katie, Donna walked in, giving Eric an easy excuse to depart. Eric claimed that he planned to take Donna out to lunch, which Katie quickly cosigned as the truth. Brooke realized that she needed to return to the office as well, so she left the scrambled trio behind.

Before Brooke left, she asked Katie if Donna knew the identity of Katie's mystery designer. Donna, somewhat confused by the choice to deceive, claimed to be neutral, like the country of Switzerland.

Katie didn't think they should discuss business because it was the number one thing that was coming between them. She and Brooke agreed to not allow their personal relationship to suffer because of professional disagreements.

Once Brooke was gone, Eric told the ladies, "That was too close." Donna found the entire tiptoe dance to be ridiculous and told them that they were playing with fire. Donna couldn't believe that Katie brought in Eric as her lead designer.

Donna didn't think Brooke would let this go, and she worried that she'd learn the truth from someone else. Katie was grateful to have Eric attached to her company. This was a surefire way to bring Logan into the conversation right out of the gate.

However, Donna didn't think the benefits of the partnership outweighed the drama. She tried to make Katie realize that the tension within the family would explode to a higher level once Brooke and Ridge found out about Eric's new role.

To Donna's credit, she pointed out how visceral a reaction Brooke and Ridge had to the Logan name. She believed the fallout could be far greater once they discovered that Eric was bringing the first Logan collection to life. Donna thought this would be viewed as a direct and personal attack on Forrester.

Donna was concerned about Eric's health if he took on the role of designer. Eric was adamant that he could handle it. Donna worried that nobody would be available to help him carry the load. She understood why being a designer was so important to Eric, but she urged him to return to Forrester part-time, instead of the full-time grind at Logan.

Donna was confident that Brooke and Ridge would view this as a "stab in the back." Katie questioned the notion that Ridge made a genuine attempt at correcting his mistake when he pushed his father out. Donna understood all of Eric and Katie's points, but she couldn't contain her concern.

Eric told Donna, "Where's respecting your elders? And not shoving them aside. Respect your elders. That's what I was taught. And that's what Brooke and Ridge are going to learn right now, the hard way."

Where there's a Will

The Bold and the Beautiful's Will sought clarification from Ridge | Image: CBS

At Forrester, Will appreciated Ridge allowing him to sit in on an important business meeting. Ridge praised Will as a "smart kid," and he appreciated the position at Forrester, especially with the rising tension between his parents and his bosses.

Ridge appreciated everything Katie had done for Forrester, but he drew the line at the theft of the Logan name. Will took a hard stance of staying out of family politics. However, Will wanted confirmation that the drama between Logan and Forrester wouldn't negatively impact his career at the latter.

Ridge asked Will if he was aware of how much he disliked his father, Dollar Bill. Will wasn't surprised because of how Bill tended to rub people the wrong way. Despite any issues with Will's parents, Ridge gave Will assurance that none of that would impact his standing at Forrester.

Brooke returned to the office, and she wished she and Katie had made more progress. Ridge asked about Brooke's quest to get the Logan name back, but Brooke stopped him in his tracks by revealing that she saw Eric at Katie's office.

Brooke believed that Eric was there to take Donna to lunch, so it was evident that she didn't read much into seeing him there. Ridge wondered if Brooke got through to Katie, and although she hoped that she did, she didn't think anything would change.

Brooke recalled how she and her sisters worked through any issues they had while growing up. She hoped the same would occur in the present, and she thanked Ridge for his unconditional support. Brooke refused to let Katie's new fashion house create more problems within their family.

An Electra connection

The Bold and the Beautiful's Electra bonded with R.J. | Image: CBS

In the Forrester showroom, Electra and R.J. discussed her jewelry line and the significant buzz surrounding his return to Los Angeles. He asked if people had been talking about him, and Electra confirmed that he was missed. Electra was surprised that they had never met, despite sharing a last name and several family members.

R.J. spent a great deal of time away from L.A., which explained how their paths never crossed. Electra asked if Brooke and Ridge were pleased to have him back home, and he admitted they were. She asked about R.J.'s time in Brazil, which he was eager to discuss.

Forrester interns lurked in the background while they talked, and they were treated to a fun surprise when R.J. confessed that he was considering staying for an extended period. Electra discussed how big of an adjustment it was for her when she first arrived in Los Angeles.

Electra gushed about her relationship with Will, and it immediately soured R.J.'s mood. Meanwhile, Will overheard the Forrester interns discussing R.J.'s return and a potential romance with Electra.

R.J. didn't know Will that well, but he recognized how Will's father was public enemy number one in the family. Will overheard R.J. asking Electra about the drama surrounding Luna and her ability to overcome such an obstacle.

Catch all-new episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus.