Ridge's Mysterious Absence Explained: Is He Leaving Bold and Beautiful?

Rumors have been circulating that the elder Forrester son is leaving the popular soap opera, and fans are understandably worried. But, before you start stocking up on tissues and ice cream, let's take a closer look at the situation.

We all know that Ridge has been a staple character on the show for a long time and it's basically impossible to imagine B&B without him. His love life, in particular, has been the main focus of the show for the past three decades, with his relationships with Brooke Logan and Taylor Hayes causing a fair bit of drama. However, after his wedding to Taylor was called off, and he ran back to Brooke, the two women decided to move on from him. With Brooke and Taylor now friends, Ridge has been left out in the cold.

Since then, Ridge has been missing in action, basically leaving that whole plot line on a cliffhanger and leading many to speculate that he's leaving the show.

But, fear not, fans of The Bold and the Beautiful, Ridge is not going anywhere. According to Soap Dirt, the actor who plays Ridge, Thorsten Kaye, is simply on holiday – long-deserved one, we must add. Kaye will surely be back soon, and when he returns, he'll bring even more drama and heart-racing moments to the show.

A lot has happened during Ridge's absence on The Bold and the Beautiful.

The primary storyline currently is Sheila Carter's surprising return from the dead, and she's causing chaos for her son and Steffy Forrester. But, she's not alone in her revenge scheme, as she's enlisted the help of her new beau, Bill Spencer. As a protective father, we are sure Ridge will do whatever it takes to shield Steffy from Sheila and Bill's wrath.

Aside from Steffy's problems, back upon his comeback Ridge will also have to face his strained relationship with his son, Thomas. Ridge will have second thoughts about cutting Thomas out of his life, but it remains to be seen whether Thomas is willing to forgive and forget.

And let's not forget about Ridge's own love life. Although Brooke and Taylor have seemingly moved on, Ridge is not giving up on them.

Fans of the show are divided on who they want Ridge to end up with, but many are of the opinion that Ridge and Brooke are meant to be together, one fan even commented "I'll stop watching if Ridge leaves, I love him with Brooke".

So, don't fret, fans of The Bold and the Beautiful. Ridge Forrester is not leaving the show. He's just taking a well-deserved holiday. And, when he returns, he'll be back to causing drama, making hearts race, and stirring up trouble – as only Ridge Forrester can.