to 12 and September 30 and October 1. After making sporadic appearances, Wood was then announced to be returning for several episodes from December 12 to 20, 2013. Last appearing on the credits in February 2014, it was confirmed in October 2014 that she would not be returning on a more permanent basis, stating: "Unfortunately we weren't on the same page contractually/scheduling etc (...) These things happen in this industry and I hope all my fans can understand that. I am a huge supporter of [executive producer/headwriter] Brad Bell and the entire cast and crew." Wood was also removed from the soap opera's opening credits. However, on December 4, 2014, Soap Opera Digest broke exclusive news that Wood would be returning to the series. At press time, Wood was scheduled for a "handful" of episodes, which began airing on January 30, 2015. Wood revealed that she agreed to return to the show after Bell had personally sent her a text message. Of her status with the series, the actress said "if the timing is right, I'll always come back". In April 2015, Wood confirmed that she signed a contract deal with the series and would return in the role of Steffy. She made her on-screen return on May 26, 2015. Wood said: "When I left the show [in 2013], it wasn't a real goodbye", and mentioned that "Brad sent me a text with an idea for a storyline. We both got really excited about it and that was it. I was ready to go." It was announced that on September 10, 2020, that Tanner Novlan's wife Kayla Ewell, who had previously portrayed Caitlin Ramirez on the show, would return to play an intimacy double or a stand-in for Wood as a result of the onset protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Ewell took on the role as a Steffy intimacy double from September 2020 to March 2021. Due to social distancing on set slowly coming to an end in the filming process, since May 2021, Novlan and Wood have been filming their own closeness and intimate scenes. Character development Characterization Jamey Giddens of the soap opera website Daytime Confidential characterized Steffy as "bitch-nasty", while Wood has described her as strong-willed and a vixen. The program's website said that Steffy is a "stunning fashionista" and a "provocative trendsetter", and added that "when it comes to Steffy Forrester,