THE WORLD OF SOAP… with Rebecca Lake

Me And My Pal Bridget

I grew up with B&B’s Bridget Forrester. Not literally, of course – while she was living in her Beverly Hills mansion surrounded by the bold and the batty, I was falling off my bike and listening to The Spice Girls in Sydney. Plus – she’s fictional, where as by most accounts, I am real. Honest!

When Bridget was born, though, I was six years old, and like Brooke Logan, I had spent many months eagerly anticipating her arrival. From the moment that Ridge placed Bridget in Brooke’s arms after delivering her at the Big Bear cabin, I felt a kinship with this girl from a far-off land.

Thanks to the miracle of rapid aging, Bridget and I were soon the same age, and I marvelled at how exciting her life was compared to mine (because, to a soap-crazed six-year old, nothing says “excitement” like a paternity scandal and a kidnapping scare).

Although I continued to age at a normal rate, while Bridget suddenly turned eighteen mere weeks after her eleventh birthday, I was still fascinated by her frequently harrowing escapades. Over the space of a few years, Bridget grew up, attended medical school, found a husband, lost that husband to her mother, found another husband, lost that husband to her mother, became pregnant, gave birth to a stillborn child, entered the world of fashion design, and gave birth to her father-in-law’s baby, which pretty much takes us up to the present day.

Having invested so many hours in Bridget Forrester, it makes me sad to see that Ashley Jones (who has been my favourite of the nine Bridgets to grace the screen since 1992) has been taken off contract and dropped down to recurring status – the same fate that befell Winsor Harmon (Thorne) earlier this year.

While I understand that B&B wants to highlight previously underused players, or bring in new characters (as Ashley became a recurring player, newbie Kristolyn Lloyd (Dayzee) was signed to a permanent contract) I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness for more old TV gal pal, who I still feel has plenty of tragedy – and hopefully a little joy – left to give her fans.

Do you have a favourite character that has been put on the backburner? Post your comments below, or send a message to soap@nextmedia.com.au