As The Bold and the Beautiful moves toward another milestone year, viewers are already buzzing about which fan-favorite characters might make their long-awaited returns in 2026. The soap has never been shy about ushering characters in and out of the canvas with little warning—and often even less closure—so there’s plenty of room for speculation. Some departures felt abrupt, others suspiciously unresolved, and a few were so underplayed that a comeback almost feels inevitable.

Here, we break down the characters most likely to find their way back to Los Angeles next year and how their reemergence could shake up the storylines.

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Wyatt Spencer: The Missing Spencer Heir Poised for a Comeback

Of all the characters who have drifted off the canvas, Wyatt Spencer’s disappearance remains one of the most baffling. There was no dramatic exit, no emotional farewell, no romantic heartbreak, and not even the courtesy of a cliffhanger. One episode he was present, the next… he simply wasn’t.

Wyatt’s absence was felt even more deeply when major storyline moments unfolded without him—particularly Liam’s near-death crisis. The idea that Wyatt, historically one of the more grounded and loyal members of the Spencer family, wouldn’t appear at his brother’s bedside felt off-key for both the character and the show. Even a quick video call to check on Will during his recent traumatic arc was never shown.

And that lack of a definitive exit is precisely why Wyatt is arguably the easiest character for the writers to reintroduce. There are no narrative knots to undo. He could walk straight back into Spencer Publications tomorrow and the story would pick up seamlessly.

Should Wyatt return, 2026 could mark a fresh romantic chapter for him as well. With whispers that things may cool off with Flo, a reboot with Ivy Forrester could offer both characters a reinvigorated direction. Ivy’s return would add even more fuel to that possibility, creating a love-triangle environment B&B thrives on.

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R.J. Forrester: A Legacy Character Waiting for His Moment

When R.J. Forrester resurfaced, viewers hoped for the kind of ambitious, fashion-driven storylines long associated with the Forrester dynasty’s younger generation. Instead, R.J. quickly became defined almost entirely by his romance with Luna Nozawa. The character’s potential—his talent, his lineage, his position within Forrester Creations—took a backseat to his role as Luna’s devoted partner.

Still, R.J. remains exactly the kind of character The Bold and the Beautiful likes to keep in rotation: young, rooted in the central family, and linked to several legacy storylines. His exit wasn’t dramatic enough to suggest permanence, and historically, Forresters rarely stay gone for long.

If Luna returns—and as we’ll get to shortly, that seems all but guaranteed—R.J.’s reappearance would likely follow closely behind. His connection to her has become his narrative anchor, and wherever Luna goes, R.J. is almost certain to re-emerge with a “What did I miss?” expression and an eagerness to jump back into the fray.

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Luna Nozawa: The “Dead” Character No One Believes Is Gone

Let’s be clear: very few fans are treating Luna Nozawa’s apparent death as anything more than a temporary plot device. This is The Bold and the Beautiful, after all—a soap built on dramatic resurrections, presumed deaths, mistaken identities, and outrageous twists. And in Luna’s case, the evidence for her demise is flimsy at best.

There was no body. Not even a shoe. Not even a toe, despite Deputy Chief Baker’s theatrical attempts to convince everyone otherwise. Viewers know the rules: on soaps, no body means no death. And on B&B specifically, even a body isn’t always enough—Sheila Carter alone has racked up multiple “deaths” with little long-term success.

Moreover, the writers have invested heavily in Luna over the past year. She became the center of numerous plots, introduced an entire branch of family members, and drove major story arcs. It makes little sense to discard all that development so abruptly.

Whether Luna returns limping through the Forrester office doors, emerging from a hostage situation, or casually placing a lunch order at Il Giardino as if nothing happened, the likelihood is high she’ll reappear sometime in 2026. And when she does, her presence will almost certainly reignite both her romantic storyline with R.J. and her more chaotic connections to the rest of the canvas.

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Thomas Forrester: The Perpetual Returnee

If there is one character viewers can always count on to return, it’s Thomas Forrester. His departures rarely stick, and his absences usually amount to little more than strategic timeouts until the writers need him to shake up Hope Logan’s life again.

Currently, Thomas is “reflecting” in Paris—a classic soap code for “waiting in the wings until emotional turbulence is required.” And Hope Logan, historically, is never far from her next storm. Whether she’s preparing for a new romance, planning a wedding, or disentangling herself from one romantic disaster or another, Thomas remains her most reliable source of conflict.

The real question isn’t if Thomas will return in 2026, but what role he’ll play upon reentry. Will he disrupt a potential Lope wedding? Will he reignite his fixation on Hope? Or could the writers surprise fans by pushing him into a rivalry—perhaps even with Wyatt—over Ivy Forrester if she reappears? Any of these scenarios would deliver the heightened drama B&B audiences expect.

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Sally Spectra: The Wild Card Who Could Ignite the Entire Canvas

Sally Spectra’s presence on The Young and the Restless has kept her firmly in the CBS soap universe, but she has never fully escaped the gravitational pull of B&B. Los Angeles is where Sally thrived—caught between romance, fashion rivalries, and the high-stakes energy of the Forrester world.

There’s been increasing buzz among fans, and even hints in cast interviews, suggesting that Sally might someday return to B&B. Actress Courtney Hope herself recently expressed openness to a comeback, noting that her character “has unfinished business” with several people in Los Angeles and that such a return would undoubtedly stir up old grudges and fresh drama.

If Sally does reappear in 2026, hers could be the most explosive return of all—one with the power to disrupt Forrester Creations, reignite layered relationships, and inject a jolt of fiery energy into the ensemble.

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The 2026 Forecast

If we’re placing bets, the strongest candidates to return next year are:

• Wyatt Spencer – virtually guaranteed due to his non-exit

• R.J. Forrester – likely tied to Luna’s return

• Luna Nozawa – almost certainly returning from her “death”

• Thomas Forrester – historically incapable of staying gone

And then there’s Sally Spectra, the wildcard whose comeback would electrify the show’s landscape in a way no one else could.

As B&B gears up for 2026, the canvas is wide open for bold returns, shocking reunions, and the kind of character revivals that keep fans tuning in year after year.