Who Were All Of Eric Forrester's Wives On The Bold And The Beautiful?
The Forrester family patriarch Eric Forrester (John McCook) has remained a staple of "The Bold and the Beautiful" since 1987. Over the years, he's fathered seven children amidst a string of marriages and affairs. When we first met Eric, he was already married to Stephanie Forrester (Susan Flannery). Their union also included their business relationship as a significant loan from Stephanie's father enabled Eric to launch the illustrious Forrester Creations.
With Stephanie as the strategist and Eric as the creative force, they cemented their place in the fashion industry. However, professional triumphs couldn't fix the cracks in their relationship. Stephanie's knack for manipulation frequently ruined things, while Eric, though undoubtedly talented, often faltered in matters of the heart. As of August 2023, Eric's marriage tally stands at nine.
Yet, in a twist of fate — or perhaps a testament to his complex love life — these nine marriages span only five women, some of whom he wed multiple times — Eric split from his fifth wife in 2022. But each of his marriages and the subsequent offspring has left an indelible mark on "B&B," influencing storylines and adding layers to Eric's character. Surprisingly, Eric's story didn't quite start with Stephanie.
Stephanie Douglas was Eric's great love
Stephanie Forrester was Eric Forrester's first wife, but the pair hadn't always been together. Their story began during their college years when Eric was romantically involved with his high school love, Beth Logan (Robin Riker). Eric and Stephanie's relationship began with an affair, leading to an 18-year-old Stephanie falling pregnant with Ridge Forrester. Eric left Beth, married Stephanie, and stayed together for 27 years despite Stephanie's relentless schemes and Eric's wandering eye. Their first marriage ended with Eric's infidelity and a cold divorce. But to viewers' surprise, that wasn't the end of the power couple.
A decade after Stephanie and Eric's initial divorce, love rekindled between them. By this point, Eric had been down the aisle twice, while Stephanie remained single. Throughout her time on "B&B," Eric remained the only man she ever married. However, their second venture into matrimony was short-lived, lasting just six years. Its abrupt end can be attributed to a scandalous revelation at their renewal ceremony. Sally Spectra revealed Eric's infidelity by placing a photograph of his affair inside the minister's Bible.
By 2006, the pair was back at the altar, bound by mutual agendas and adversaries. Predictably, this alliance crumbled within two years. The subsequent years brought them immense sorrow as Stephanie was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Eric chose to remarry her on the 50th anniversary of their first wedding. Tragically, Stephanie succumbed to her illness a few months later, making Eric a grieving widower.
Eric married his son's ex, Brooke Logan
Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) stepped into Eric Forrester's life when his first marriage to Stephanie Forrester was stressed. Stephanie had always feared that Eric would return to Beth Logan, but he blindsided us all and went for her daughter, Brooke. Educated in chemistry at the University of Southern California, Brooke was initially set to wed her police officer beau. However, she dumped him when she met Ridge Forrester (then Ronn Moss) as she was besotted. When Brooke and Eric met, she'd been dumped by Ridge, and Eric was desperate to be adored.
Eric pursued Brooke, trying to keep it a secret, but when Stephanie found out, she was furious. She gave Brooke one of her infamous nicknames, "The Slut from the Valley" — a moniker she arguably embraced with her multiple affairs. Brooke had earned a reputation as a fantastic chemist, but it was overshadowed by her constant decisions to steal the men of her close female relatives.
Stephanie tried to stop their relationship, but Eric and Brooke eventually wed and welcomed a son, Eric "Rick" Forrester Jr. But the drama didn't end there. Brooke's discovery of a groundbreaking formula began a wild affair between her and Ridge. Eric soon discovered her unfaithfulness, leading to their divorce. A decade after their split, the two decided to give marriage another shot following Eric's separation from Stephanie. This stint marked Brooke's ninth walk down the aisle and lasted only a few months.
Sheila Carter manipulated Eric
Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), a name that sends shivers down the spines of "B&B" fans, has etched her place as the embodiment of sheer evil. Sheila's dark canvas is painted with hues of kidnapping, bribery, and cold-blooded murder. Viewers were first introduced to Sheila on "The Young and the Restless," where she sinisterly drugged Scott Grainger (Peter Barton), ensuring a fling that led to a pregnancy. Manipulating him further, she successfully wed him, wrenching him away from Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman), even stealing Lauren's baby.
Once her luck ran out in Genoa City, Sheila moved to Los Angeles. Here, she encountered Eric Forrester, then navigating his second marriage with Brooke Logan. Their chemistry was evident, and Eric soon found himself in love. However, Lauren Fenmore was Eric's past fling and an ongoing confidant. When she discovered what happened between Eric and Sheila, she decided to spill the beans.
On Sheila and Eric's wedding day, she walked out just before Lauren could expose her. Later, she told Eric she'd been experiencing wedding jitters, persuading him to marry her in secret. This worked, but it came to light that Sheila was still married to her previous husband, adding bigamy to her criminal resume. When it became clear that she was about to be exposed, Sheila kidnapped the Forresters but tried to die by suicide when she didn't get the reaction she wanted. However, Sheila survived, landing her in a mental facility where she agreed to divorce Eric.
Donna Logan broke up Eric and Stephanie
If you thought Eric went too far by pursuing Brooke, he truly surpassed himself by targeting her younger sister, Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis). While Brooke ended Eric's first marriage to Stephanie Forrester, Donna played a role in their third split. Donna and Brooke also had the same ruthlessness, even though Donna's only showed when anyone crossed her. In her early years, she posed as a nude model, co-hosted "The Catwalk," and even graced "Brooke's Bedroom" lingerie line as its face.
Donna's entanglement with Eric began while he was still wedded to Stephanie — which was perfect for Donna, who had a grudge against her. When Stephanie found out what really happened between Donna and Eric, she threatened legal action against Donna's brother for an indisputable crime. Surprisingly, Stephanie seemed to have an epiphany, realizing that Eric, not the many other women, was the real issue in their relationship. She withdrew her threats, and Donna and Eric married.
But it wasn't just Stephanie who had an issue with Donna and Eric. Stephanie's sister, Pam Douglas (Alley Mills), tried to frame and kill Donna. Through all this, Eric stood by Donna. He adopted her son and even supported her when false rumors spread about her cheating. But, the pressures from Stephanie's indirect role in a tragedy involving Donna's mom and Eric's lack of action were too much. After two years, Donna and Eric's marriage came to an end.
Eric's family disapproved of Quinn Fuller
"B&B" fans would likely agree that Quinn Fuller (Rena Sofer) isn't as wicked as Sheila Carter, but she sure is sneaky and can be fierce when she wants to be. Her violent and scheming nature made her enemies with the Forresters, but Quinn didn't care to be accepted. She dated Eric Forrester and agreed to marry him when he proposed. Sadly, Eric went into a coma on their wedding day, and the family tried to get back at Quinn. But luck was on her side; Eric had given her power of attorney.
She used that power to kick out the offending Forresters and stayed by Eric when he was sick. But then, Quinn messed up. She had a secret romance with Ridge Forester, and the family was only too happy to expose her. Eric found out, and Quinn accepted a divorce without taking any money. This concession made Eric decide to give her another chance.
However, as time passed, Quinn realized that she and Eric were no longer sleeping together, so she began an emotional and physical affair with Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor). Eric sanctioned an open marriage due to his impotence but later changed his mind. They decided to try again until Quinn discovered Eric was seeing Donna Logan again behind her back. The couple agreed to part ways, and Eric turned out to be just another of the many men that Quinn has loved on "The Bold and the Beautiful."