NEED TO KNOW
Matthew Atkinson is gearing up for a return to The Forrester mansion.
PEOPLE has confirmed the 36-year-old actor is reprising his role as Thomas Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful after departing the soap in June 2024. His first episode will air in early September.
Thomas will return to Los Angeles to rejoin the family business, Forrester Creations.
Atkinson also shared a video of himself playing corn hole on the lot where the show is filmed. When he panned the camera to show his face, a sign for The Bold and the Beautiful could also be seen.
“Second time’s a charm,” he teased.
Fans showed their excitement for Atkinson’s return in the comment section.
“This is the best B&B news everrrrr! We have missed you so much! I am beyond excited!!! 🙏♥️🥰” one fan shared.
“It’s About Time!!!!! Missed You Dearly 😍😍😍The Best Thomas Forester ever🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I like Him with Paris😍😍😍😍Cant wait to see You!!!!” one commenter shared while another wrote, “I’ve missed seeing you on my screen 😢😍”
Amy Sussman/Getty
Atkinson took over the role portraying the only son of Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) and Taylor (Rebecca Budig) in 2019 following the departure of Pierson Fodé.
Atkinson first exited the series in March 2024. At the time, Thomas went to Paris with his son, Douglas, after Hope (Annika Noelle) turned down his marriage proposals.
The character returned in June of that year with some shocking news — he was engaged to Paris Buckingham (Diamond White). He departed again in July 2024.
Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty
Atkinson addressed his departure that same month in an interview with Soap Opera Digest.
“I just never expected the response that I’ve gotten and we’ve gotten from the fans, especially [with] Thomas leaving,” he shared at the time. “I can’t speak for all the fans, but there’s a wealth of people that are either really, really upset that Thomas is gone for a period or really sad. [They] reach out and they’re like, ‘Hey, when are you back? When are you back? When are you back?’ That just speaks to their care for this character.”
“And that means a lot to me because I would have fun doing this in a vacuum, but it’s really great to have a response that shows that these people care about what you’re doing,” he continued. “And so it’s just been so much love from so many fans that comes out in so many different ways.”
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The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS (check local listings).
