Here's an excerpt of an article published by TV Insider on
March 23, 2021:

https://www.tvinsider.com/991867/bold-and-the-beautiful-head-writer-brad-bell-34th-anniversary/

"...When did you know B&B was going to be a long-term player in
the soap world?

It’s hard to pinpoint a time as we’ve been the only half-hour series
on the air for so long. We felt we were the odd man out, blazing a
trail all our own. Going way back, I suppose the first Sheila
[Kimberlin Brown] crossover from The Young and the Restless in
1992. The ratings popped, bringing us to the No. 2 spot. We’d
remained a strong contender before then, but that moment was
a big one. That elevated us in the ratings to a point that showed
we were here to stay.

Your international success has been unparalleled. What’s that been like?

Our first breakout country was Greece. We were amazed at the
popularity of the show there. Then Italy, France, and Belgium.
We found popularity in Germany and in Holland. It was just well
received all over Europe and then Australia, India, and Africa.
We kept on going. We were thrilled to find we had a global hit on our hands.

B&B took the top spot in the ratings the week of March 15, 2020.
How did it feel to achieve that milestone?

We’ve had some great milestones over the years. We hit No. 1 in
key demos prior to that during a climax of the baby Beth storyline
when Liam and [Hope] were reunited with their baby. We took over
the top spot in the soaps for being No. 1 in the overall ratings. It
was one week, and now we’re staying tight to Y&R, which is always
good. It was a thrill to see it on paper to be the top-rated show not
only in the world but in the United States as well..."

--
Lynn K.

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