FULL RECAP – The Bold and the Beautiful, September 26, 2025: A Legacy in Crisis and a Family at War
The glittering façade of Forrester Creations is cracking—and beneath the shimmer lies a battlefield. On Friday’s explosive episode of The Bold and the Beautiful (September 26, 2025), the long-standing pillars of legacy, bloodline, and power took a seismic hit as one jaw-dropping revelation ignited a chain reaction that threatens to dismantle the Forrester dynasty.
💥 THE DNA BOMB THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
What started as a medical test to save Thomas Forrester’s life unearthed a secret no one was prepared for: Thomas is not Ridge Forrester’s son—he is Eric Forrester’s biological heir.
The revelation dropped like a nuclear bomb in the middle of the Forrester empire. For decades, Ridge held the title of Eric’s presumed eldest son, the man next in line to inherit not just a name, but control—creative and corporate—over Forrester Creations. But now, with DNA proving Ridge is biologically Massimo Marone’s son, Thomas has become the true Forrester heir.
This isn’t just a personal shock; it’s a legal earthquake.
Hidden deep within Eric Forrester’s estate planning was an old clause, once seen as symbolic: the eldest biological son of Eric would automatically inherit controlling power of the company should Eric become incapacitated. With Eric’s health declining and his silence growing heavier by the day, that clause now carries the weight of a crown—and Thomas, of all people, is wearing it.
👑 A SHIFT IN POWER: THE BOARDROOM ERUPTS
The fallout was immediate. Boardroom meetings turned into battlegrounds as executives and shareholders scrambled to interpret the legal implications. Thomas, still recovering from cancer treatments but regaining strength, was quietly summoned to a private legal review. The verdict was clear: Thomas has a rightful claim to creative leadership, executive votes, and a controlling board seat.
That claim directly challenged the position of his sister, Steffy Forrester, who has tirelessly led the company through crisis after crisis. She confronted Thomas head-on, her voice laced with bitterness.
“You barely recovered, and now you think you should be running Forrester?”
— Steffy
Thomas, no longer the reckless manipulator of old, responded with rare calm:
“I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t even know. But this is what Dad wrote. If this is what he wanted, I’m not going to ignore it just because it makes you uncomfortable.”
For Steffy, it wasn’t just about succession. It was about trust, history, and years of cleaning up Thomas’s messes. Her brother, who once lost custody of his son Douglas after spiraling out of control, was now poised to lead the company?
It was unthinkable. And yet—legally inevitable.
⚖️ RIDGE STRIPPED OF POWER, BROOKE MAKES HER MOVE
Ridge Forrester, long the face and name of the company, was gutted—not only by the truth of his parentage but by the swift erosion of his influence. In a desperate bid to halt the transition, Ridge filed a legal petition to freeze Thomas’s executive rights until court reviews could reassess inheritance laws.
“DNA doesn’t erase decades of leadership,” Ridge told the board. “Thomas is sick. He’s unstable. And you want to give him control over this company?”
But Ridge’s outrage could not unify the board. Old loyalties to Eric clashed with fears about Thomas’s track record. Meanwhile, Eric—frail, silent, hospitalized—could not intervene. His outdated but binding will remained untouched.
This vacuum left room for a master strategist to strike: Brooke Logan.
Knowing Ridge’s legacy was slipping and Thomas gaining momentum, Brooke launched a quiet campaign to position R.J. Forrester—her and Ridge’s son—as the next generation’s true leader.
“If Thomas gets the company, he’ll erase everything Ridge built,” she warned. “But if R.J. steps up, we still have a voice.”
Board members were approached. Alliances were brokered in whispers. Slowly, Brooke’s plan to crown R.J. gained traction. But the war for Forrester was just beginning.
👨👦 FAMILY PAWNS: DOUGLAS IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Caught in the middle is Douglas, Thomas’s young son, and Hope Logan’s child by love. Hope, witnessing the growing power struggle, feared Thomas would once again weaponize their son.
“Leave Douglas out of this,” she begged Thomas in a private confrontation.
Thomas, visibly hurt, promised he would never use his son. But Hope wasn’t convinced. With the spotlight now on Thomas, Douglas risked becoming collateral damage in a battle far beyond his understanding.
📰 A LEGACY IN PERIL: PUBLIC REACTS TO SCANDAL
The media wasted no time. Bold & Beautiful fans were glued to headlines speculating about a civil war within the Forrester house. Articles screamed of succession battles, betrayed bloodlines, and instability at the helm of the legendary fashion empire.
Investors grew nervous. The glossy Forrester image, long untarnished, began to crack. Public trust teetered. Fashion blogs speculated whether Steffy would be ousted. Would Thomas become the new CEO? Would R.J. be installed as a figurehead?
Inside the company, loyalties shifted by the hour. Pam and Charlie whispered behind closed doors. Carter Walton tried to walk the line between legal obligation and personal ethics. Zendé eyed the chaos, wondering if he could be the stabilizer they all needed.
🕯️ AND THEN THERE WAS ERIC…
At the heart of it all lay Eric Forrester, patriarch, founder, and architect of the legacy now under siege. His health remained fragile, his silence deafening. And yet, his will—crafted decades ago—still held more power than any board vote.
Would he revise the clause? Speak? Choose a successor?
Or… would his silence seal Thomas’s ascension?
If Eric dies without updating his will, Thomas becomes the undisputed king of Forrester Creations.
And the rest? They’ll have to decide whether to fight him—or follow him.
🔜 WHAT’S NEXT?
As the dust settles, battle lines are drawn in blood, law, and ambition. Thomas, once the family’s darkest secret, is now its greatest legacy. Brooke won’t stop until R.J. claims the throne. Ridge may have lost his name, but he hasn’t lost his pride. And Steffy? She may have just begun to fight.
The Forrester family is on the brink—and the world is watching.
Stay tuned. The war for the crown has only just begun.
📺 The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS.