In the not-too-distance past, soap operas would routinely travel abroad to film lavish on-location stories. Declining ratings and shrinking budgets have virtually ended those luxuries -- but not so for The Bold and the Beautiful. The CBS soap has announced that it is headed to Italy this spring.
The Bold and the Beautiful will shoot eight to ten episodes in the southern Italian coastal region of Puglia.
"I am excited to feature another gorgeous Italian region on The Bold and the Beautiful," B&B's head writer and executive producer Bradley Bell said in a statement. "Brooke, Ridge and our other characters will find out that even in the remote location of Puglia, you can't run away from the drama."
This will mark the fourth time that B&B has traveled to Italy. The show first journeyed to Italy in 1997 when it filmed on-location in Lake Como. In 1999, the show traveled to Venice. The last time B&B went to Italy was in 2002 in Portofino.
In 2007, for its 20th anniversary, The Bold and the Beautiful taped in Australia.
The Bold and the Beautiful isn't just popular in the United States; the show is the most-watched soap opera in the world. B&B has received six consecutive Golden Nymph Awards at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. It is estimated that more than 35 million people in over 100 countries tune in to follow the antics of the Forresters and Logans.
The Bold and the Beautiful will tape in Puglia from May 7 to May 11. The scenes will air in late spring. Due to its broadcast schedule, the scenes filmed in Puglia will not air in Italy until spring 2013.
