Morgan Fairchild returns to The Bold and the Beautiful after 17 years, bringing Dottie back to the spotlight

Morgan Fairchild is stepping back into daytime drama this week, returning to The Bold and the Beautiful for the first time in 17 years. Her comeback airs Tuesday, January 27, 2026 ET, with Fairchild reprising Dorothy “Dottie,” a glamorous San Francisco socialite whose entrance is designed to add sparkle and comic friction at a moment when the show’s storylines are already running hot.

Fairchild’s return also doubles as a reunion, pairing her with comedian and actor Jim J. Bullock. The two last appeared on the soap in 2009, but this time their characters’ paths finally intersect in a way that’s meant to feel intentionally flamboyant rather than incidental.

A fashion-show return that fits Dottie like a glove

Dottie’s re-entry is staged around a fashion show, which is a natural arena for The Bold and the Beautiful’s signature mix of glamour and rivalry. The sequence puts her in the middle of the Forrester orbit, where a single well-timed comment can become a storyline engine.

That setting matters because it immediately frames Dottie as a character who doesn’t just enter a room, she curates it. The show isn’t treating her like a quick cameo. The storyline gives her something to do, someone to bounce off, and an environment where her larger-than-life energy reads as plot-relevant rather than decorative.

Jim J. Bullock joins the fun as Joseph, Dottie’s gem-inspecting right hand

Bullock returns alongside Fairchild as Joseph, Dottie’s devoted assistant with an eye for jewelry. It’s a pairing built for comedy: Dottie as the social force, Joseph as the precision tool, both operating with the kind of confidence that can irritate the wrong person in seconds.

The dynamic also adds a different kind of tension than the show’s typical romantic triangles. Instead of jealousy or betrayal, the spark here is personality: two people who know exactly who they are, arriving in a world where everyone else is trying to control the narrative.

In practical terms, it gives the show a tonal release valve. When daytime drama is at full boil, a sharp, character-driven comedic beat can make the next emotional turn hit even harder.

Why Morgan Fairchild’s return lands with extra weight right now

Fairchild has a career that spans decades across television drama and primetime pop culture, which makes any return feel like an event rather than a casting note. For longtime viewers, she carries the memory of a very specific kind of TV glamour: confident, articulate, a little dangerous, and always camera-ready.

For newer audiences who know her from later appearances in series comedy and guest roles, this return offers a reminder of how effortlessly she can play heightened stakes without tipping into parody. Soaps demand speed, stamina, and a particular kind of precision, and Fairchild’s experience shows in how naturally she fits into a fast-moving set of scenes.

Here’s the simple timeline driving the buzz:

• 2009: Last appearance on the series for both Fairchild and Bullock

• January 27, 2026 ET: Their on-screen return, now sharing story space

What to expect from the next episodes

The immediate promise is continuity, not a one-and-done stunt. Fairchild and Bullock are set to appear in more than one episode, suggesting the show plans to let Dottie and Joseph actually affect the story rather than merely decorate it.

Viewers can expect a few things in the days ahead: sharper comedic exchanges in the middle of serious scenes, an uptick in fashion-forward set pieces, and at least one moment where Dottie’s social confidence collides with someone else’s ambition. The most interesting question isn’t whether Dottie can stir the pot, it’s whose pot she chooses first, and whether she’s doing it for fun, leverage, or both.

One way or another, Morgan Fairchild’s return signals a classic soap instinct: when emotions are running high, bring in a character who can make everything feel even bigger, brighter, and just a little more unpredictable.