Is Nick Marone the Game-Changer in Brooke and Ridge’s Tumultuous Affair on The Bold and the Beautiful?

Jack Wagner is betting on it. Wagner, at 65, opened up about his much-anticipated return to the iconic CBS soap opera in an exclusive conversation with Us Weekly. His first appearance will hit screens on Monday, June 16.

“[Showrunner and producer] Brad Bell and I share the same golf course. We bumped into each other four or five months ago,” Wagner reminisced. “I was planning a summer trip to Italy, and I casually mentioned, ‘Hey, if you need me to promote the show, remember my brief stint for Brooke in [2022].’ Six weeks later, he called and proposed a summer storyline before I return to When Calls the Heart.”

Wagner acknowledged that Nick’s departure in 2012 left a few loose ends, with his relationships spiraling out of control. Now, he aims to refocus on Nick’s deep bond with Brooke (played by Katherine Kelly Lang) amid her ongoing heartache caused by Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) and Taylor’s (Rebecca Budig) reconciliation.

“Things had become a bit Twisted Sister with him marrying the daughter [Bridget] and then the sister [Katie]. The highlight of my return is narrowing in on Nick’s love for Brooke,” Wagner said. “He’s discovered that she’s shattered by Ridge’s actions. Returning to Los Angeles, he hopes to rescue her from this toxic cycle and aspire to rekindle the romance.”

The Melrose Place veteran couldn’t hide his admiration for working with Lang, a stalwart of B&B since its inception in 1987. “She’s fantastic, both personally and professionally. She’s dedicated to elevating the quality of every scene,” Wagner shared with Us. “They give me the flexibility to tweak dialogue and reshape scenes. Katherine is supportive, always striving for better. Nick’s entrance is a breath of fresh air, as he comes in with decisive clarity. He lays out his intentions to her candidly. They share nostalgic moments, reliving memories to potentially open a new chapter.”

Fans will glimpse a transformed Nick in 2025 “We revamped his outfit since he’s a shipping magnate running Maroney Industries,” Wagner spilled and Ridge will encounter this change head-on.

“When Ridge enters the room, he finds Nick unfazed, treating Ridge like an annoyance,” Wagner hinted. “I relished provoking Ridge repeatedly. Thorsten [Kaye] found it surprising, as did Ridge’s character. Thorsten and I had a blast offset, both enjoying a laugh and some harmless ribbing.”

Wagner is confident that audiences will be drawn to the storyline focusing on Nick’s intense pursuit of Brooke’s heart. “I believe it will resonate because it remains undiluted. I told Brad, ‘Don’t scatter this into other plots; Nick’s core mission is to win Brooke back and to awaken her from this dysfunctional trap with Ridge. He needs her to see him as a decisive, devoted man,’” Wagner explained.