Simon Ashley he spoke of his integrity to Bridgerton despite her character Kate having limited screen time.
On the Monday, April 13, episode of “The Louis Theroux Podcast,” Ashley, 31, said Jonathan Bailey for teaching him important lessons about making Bridgerton a priority, adding, “He sets a good example of — for lack of a better word — loyalty to the show. It's a show about family and coming home and coming back to family. I think a lot of people follow that.”
Ashley has “learned a lot” from Bailey, 37.
“Now when we go back, there's that place to come home and feel like we're part of the family,” he added. “I can only comment on what Johnny and I have done. We are making sure that our plans can make it work.”
Ashley continued: “He was going back and forth between Toronto and London while filming Wicked.
Kate's romance with Anthony (Bailey) was the focus of Bridgerton season 2. As most of the season focused on Anthony's exit from dating his sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran), before meeting Kate, viewers expected the couple to play a major role in season 3.
Season 3, however, featured Anthony and Kate sharing a few scenes before disappearing on their second honeymoon. They returned late in the season to announce Kate's pregnancy, which is when the couple decided to take a trip to India. Season 4, meanwhile, explained Anthony and Kate's continued absence by keeping them in India after the arrival of their first child.
“I think the power of sending them to India for a while is that it leaves the door open for them to come back, the programs that allow them,” Brownell told Teen Vogue of the actors in June 2024. “I think that, understandably, when any of our main actors have given their lives in their season, in future seasons, we want to support other projects that come and come back. It's really not fair to them.”
Meanwhile, Brownell explained Kate and Anthony's planned vision.
“I think after everything they've been through in their season, obviously what we've been focusing on this season was to show them in a loving place. But we wanted to emphasize that they're still the Kate and Anthony you know,” he continued. “They're still yelling at each other and getting angry. We wanted them to appear that way … they're in a much smarter place, both of them, in their relationships and relationships.”
Brownell clarified why Anthony and Kate didn't make it into Season 4, telling People, “I think [Luke Thompson’s] Benedict in particular, it was important for Anthony to be somewhere else in part 1, to give Benedict a moment to struggle with the weight of being the second son to run for viscount.”
He added: “For Anthony to be in India – or later in Aubrey Hall – allows Benedict the opportunity to rise or fail. It also felt very important to bring Anthony back, because the relationship with Benedict is very important between the first and the second. [parts of season 4].”
Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.
