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Though it has all the makings of a runaway Netflix success, it seems that even Netflix itself wasn’t prepared for the success of Shonda Rhimes’ period drama, Bridgerton. Twenty-eight days after its release, the streaming giant revealed that 82 million users around the world had already watched the series, making it the number one show in 83 countries, including the U.S., UK, India, France and Brazil – and the most popular Netflix release in history.
Naturally, with numbers like that, there was no need to beat around the bush: Bridgerton was confirmed for a second season on January 21, less than a month after the release of its first instalment. Below, everything we know so far about what we can expect from the Bridgerton universe next…
THERE WILL LIKELY BE EIGHT SEASONS IN TOTAL
Though Netflix has only confirmed season two thus far, Bridgerton season one is based on the first of eight best-selling books by Julia Quinn. So if the show continues to be as popular in season two, there’s no reason the streaming giant wouldn’t tell all eight books on screen. Before the announcement of season two, creator and showrunner Chris Van Dusen said, “We know there are eight Bridgerton siblings [and] there are eight Bridgerton books. So in success, I would love to be able to explore love stories and romances for all the Bridgerton brothers and sisters, of course.”
Sex Education‘s Simone Ashley IS CONFIRMED TO PLAY SEASON TWO’S LEAD ROLE
British actress Simone Ashley, who’s best known for her role as Olivia in Sex Education, has been confirmed to play a lead role in Bridgerton‘s second season. Ashley will be entering the show as a character named Kate Sharma, the new love interest of Anthony Bridgerton [played by Jonathan Bailey], who takes centre stage in the follow-up series. Deadline say Kate’s a “headstrong young woman who suffers no fools.”
The second season will focus on Anthony Bridgerton
The first season was inspired by Quinn’s first book, The Duke and I, which focuses on the relationship between Simon Basset (played by Rege-Jean Page]) and eldest Bridgerton sibling, Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor). The second book, The Viscount Who Loved Me, turns to Anthony Bridgerton, the city’s most eligible bachelor, and his relationship with a woman called Edwina. But, as we noted above, the addition of Kate Sheffield – Edwina’s sister – messes plans up a bit. In the book, Kate is described as “the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom”.
phoebe dynevor and regé-jean page will return to our screens
Though their love story will no longer be the central plot in season two, Dynevor and Page will, thankfully, still feature in the show as newlyweds, Simon and Daphne. As for how big their roles will be, Page said in an interview that there’s still lots to explore about Simon and Daphne’s romance in future seasons. “I’m not sure I believe in paradise. I know that the romance genre generally does – part of the deal is that you get a happy ending. But as far as continuing to explore characters, I think that love is an evolving thing. It’s a living, breathing thing that needs tending, that needs looking after, that needs mending when it gets worn or torn,” he told TV Line. “They get married very young. They still have a lot of growing to do. They have a lot to do, and I think it’ll always be fun to watch them do that together.”
Dynevor, for her part, said she’s hoping her character will get to meddle in her big brother’s love life, as he did for her. “If the seasons are sticking to the books, then it’s Anthony’s turn to find love, so we’re passing on the baton, in that respect,” she said in an interview. I want to see Daphne get involved in Anthony’s love life a bit, as he sort of meddled with hers quite a lot. I think that will be fun.”
THE SECOND SEASON WILL LIKELY BE RELEASED IN 2022
With filming due to start in the UK’s spring, we can expect season two to be released in 2022, pandemic permitting.
