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Channel24's Leandra Engelbrecht interviewed actress Katherine Kelly Lang best known for her role as Brooke Logan in The Bold and the Beautiful ahead of the show's return to South Africa.
Cape Town – With its iconic theme song, set in the City of Angeles and the glamorous world of the fashion industry, and three rival families – The Bold and the Beautiful has a long history with South African viewers.
Love it or hate it, you can't deny that the long-running CBS soapie with its family, relationship, and business drama has kept viewers enthralled for years – 32 to be exact.
Up until the national broadcaster cancelled the show in March it remained one of the top-performing shows on SABC 3.
And now the Forresters, the Logans, and the Spencers are back on Vodacom's Video Play streaming service.
READ MORE: Brooke and the gang are back! 'The Bold and the Beautiful' returns to South Africa
Just mention the soapie, and there is one character that immediately comes to mind: Brooke Logan.
Her rags to riches story, her relationships (yes, she was married to a father and both his sons), and her rivalries have kept people talking and tuned in.
(BOSS BROOKE: Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan the show's 'quintessential heroine, always in turmoil and forever symbolic of true love and destiny prevailing'. Photo: Vodacom)
Actress Katherine Kelly Lang has played the character that everyone loves to hate since the inception of the show and has received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for her role.
"I love this show. I love Brooke. She's such a big part of me now, she's like my sister," she tells Channel24 during a telephone interview.
"I have been through so much with her - there have been many ups and downs and so many marriages, children, failed relationships, it's amazing. It has been exciting to play this part for 33 years."
And while she has played Brooke for three decades, she is still learning new things about her as the character evolves through different storylines.
Unlike fashion, where one day you're in and the next you're out, The Bold and the Beautiful has proved that it has the staying power. The show airs in over 100 countries.
Speaking about what has made the show so successful, Katherine says it's pretty much based around relationships that people can relate to in one way or another, and that it's a guilty pleasure.
"I think it's just such a beautiful show. It's based in Los Angeles. It's based around the fashion industry, which is so glamorous.
"You've got the families: the Forresters and the Logans, the rich and the poor family. So, there are those dynamics, and you have interesting love stories. People have gravitated towards the characters and towards storylines ever since the beginning, and it is still going strong. I think that has just been magical," says Katherine.
AN EPIC RIVALRY
Brooke has had some epic weddings, and even more epic rivalries for Katherine, one of her favourite storylines was the love/hate relationship with Taylor (Hunter Tylo).
"We had it for such a long time, but then they developed kind of an understanding with each other. But I miss that. I just thought that that was interesting, this ongoing rivalry for so long. And I love her."
And while she hasn't found one storyline particularly challenging, being an actress on a popular soapie still keeps her on her toes.
"Each day for me is challenging. We try to bring on like 110%, no matter what. I love the really dramatic shows because they are more fun for me because it's something, I can sink my teeth in.
"I think the challenging part is just making sure that you've studied enough and you're prepared enough, to get through the day because we move so fast and we do a huge amount of dialogue and a script every day. So this is living, moving, moving. We've gotta be prepared, hit your mark, get your dialogue right and they still have to get all the drama and the emotion to it," she explains.
(SOULMATES: Katherine Kelly Lang and Thorsten Kaye who plays Ridge Forrester. The characters Brooke and Ridge have been married eight times...and counting. Photo: Vodacom)
And where would she like to see Brooke in the next five years?
"Involved with a family, which is what she's doing now. I'd like to see her as a businesswoman; she was CEO of Forrester for a while; she was a chemist. She used to do more than what she is doing now.
"So, I'd like to see her get back into maybe a more creative side or, you know, running a company or maybe something different but something for her to expand her horizons."
LOTS OF DRAMA COMING
With the show's return, viewers will be a year and a half behind what is currently airing in the US.
Without giving away too much, Katherine says that there are a lot of exciting things viewers can look forward to.
Last year she visited South African for a press trip of which she speaks fondly of.
"The fans are incredible, everyone was nice and supportive and just really sweet.
"I appreciate that they watch every day and some of them have been watching from the very first day and how dedicated they are to the show.
"I know how much they love to hate Brooke, it's endearing to see how passionate they are. So, thank you for watching and keep on watching, and I promise exciting storylines are coming so stay tuned."
Episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful are available for streaming on www.videoplay.co.za
ALSO READ: 5 Bold and the Beautiful storylines we will never forget
