The shocking planned exit of one of the most popular characters on CBS' The Bold and the Beautiful is just days away-and fans are wondering just how Hope Logan's major storyline will wrap up within the next five episodes.

Kim Matula Exit Date Confirmed

It was previously reported that Kim Matula, the actress who has portrayed the character for the last five years, opted not to renew her contract, and was leaving the show. CBS didn't make plans to recast the role in the meantime, meaning the character is exiting with Matula for now-and her fate in the future is currently undetermined.

Because she will be leaving the show, fans are left to wonder just what is set to happen. The most recent episode of the soap, which aired on Friday, Dec. 6, ended on a shocking note. After a final confrontation with Quinn (Rena Sofer) at the fountain on Brooke's (Katherine Kelly Lang) property, where Hope learned her mother-in-law planned to stop interfering in her life, Hope sat for a minute to regain her composure. Upon standing however, she lost her balance while wearing high-heeled shoes, and fell down a stone staircase to the ground-where she then lay unconscious.
Is Steffy Returning To 'The Bold and the Beautiful?'

Naturally, such a fall may not spell good things for the character's pregnancy-but could open up a possibility for how she'll exit. Here are our four predictions for how Hope will disappear from the show.

1. The fall will cause Hope to lose her and Wyatt's baby-and the pain will be too much for her to bear, leading to an escape to one of the European offices.

Generally, when characters need to disappear off the canvas on the soap, they usually flee to the Forrester International offices in Europe. Ridge, Steffy, Thomas, Taylor and Thorne have all previously headed to the Paris office, while Hope's mother, Brooke, is currently at the Milan office. If Hope is in too much pain from her loss, she could flee to join her mother-or head to Paris herself. It wouldn't be the first time a lost pregnancy caused a woman on the show to flee to a new country. After Steffy lost hers and Liam's (Scott Clifton) baby in a motorcycle accident, she moved to Paris as well.

4. Both the baby and Hope will die from the fall

It's extremely morbid to think that both will perish, but if there is no genuine interest in recasting Hope or giving Matula a chance to return, the writers could just kill her-and the baby-off as a result. And a promo clip for the week's episodes seems to hint that this could very well be the case

How do you think Hope's storyline will close? Vote in the poll below!

The Bold and the Beautiful airs Monday-Friday at 1:30 p.m. on CBS.

Tags
The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS, Soap Operas