Bridgerton star, Simone Ashley, joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky this morning to talk all about what to expect from the latest season of the period drama.
When it first aired in 2020, Bridgerton was an instant hit with 82 million views in the first 28 days.
Since then, people have been desperate to find out what is next for the families in the Ton and the gossip writer Lady Whistledown. So, with the new season just days away, Simone Ashley has given us a taste of what to expect.
Simone’s character, Kate, is part of the Sharma family, who are new to the society, and they cross paths with Anthony Bridgerton as he embarks on his search for a suitable wife.
Simone explains: “The Sharma’s are the new family introduced in season two. Shelley Conn, who’s an amazing actress I got to work with, plays Lady Mary. Her daughter Edwina is played by Charithra Chandran, another absolutely gorgeous actress. They’re blood-related, but they are Kate’s step mum and stepsister.
“So we come from India, return to London, and the plan is to protect Edwina as she sets off on a quest to find true love.”
Edwina soon catches the eye of Anthony Bridgerton, who Simone describes as “the playboy of the Ton”. He begins to court Edwina but he doesn’t want to marry her out of love, just for convenience- which doesn’t impress her sister Kate.
As Simone explains: “She’s [Kate] is trying to keep him away from Edwina, kind of surrendering to the fact that maybe this might happen and both of them are forced to spend a lot of time together.
“One thing that I would say is, in the show, it is all about keeping up with appearances. People are watching people and whispering, and people are saying things.
“But what is so special is every time Kate and Anthony are on their own together, something happens.”
Very interesting!
Simone also revealed what it was like to act opposite the Viscount, who has been a favourite among fans from the beginning.
She said: “Obviously, I thought Jonathan Bailey was gorgeous inside and out. And then, coincidentally, now I’m playing his, you know, potential future love interest.”
Bridgerton is probably best known for its incredible wardrobe, but also for its steamy scenes. In fact, there are so many steamy scenes that the production has an ‘intimacy coordinator’ to help.
This is something that Simone thinks should be present in any production that involves intimate scenes.
She said: “I think it should be like an obligation. I think it’s amazing what they do. They create a safe environment, you feel comfortable, confident, it’s all the taboos are lifted, you have communication as to what we’re doing, so physically and psychologically you feel safe.
“You can then portray sex in a way that people can relate to and understand. If I’m feeling safe, I’m able to portray a truthful scene.”
With the huge success of the first season, it is expected that season two of Bridgerton is going to be just as big if not bigger.
Simone has already been in one hit Netflix series, Sex Education, and is now on the verge of another which is bound to launch her career in another direction. When asked by Chris how she thinks this will impact her, Simone couldn’t quite visualise it.
She said: “You know what, I think one can only really understand that when it actually happens. So, yeah, I’m just really excited for the world to see it.”
Published March 18, 2022
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