There’s a lot of hype building for the new season of Bridgerton - and you may recognise some of the new faces.
The first photos from the set shared by Netflix have revealed a new family joining the ranks for the second series.
With the series focusing on Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for marriage, his new love interest and her family will be the latest new characters.
No release date has been set for series two of the popular show but after Covid caused a delay in filming it’s likely to be 2022.
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But who are the new characters entering the world of Bridgerton - and where will you have seen their faces before?
Simone Ashley
The show’s new female lead for season two will be Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley.
Kate is described as “a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools" and is concerned more about her family’s happiness than marriage.
Simone, whose full name is Simone Ashwini Pillai, starred in Netflix’s Sex Education as popular schoolgirl Olivia Hanan.
The 25-year-old’s previous television appearances included in Broadchurch as Dana in 2017 and in four-part ITV drama The Sister in 2020.
The star developed her acting skills at the Arts Ed school in Chiswick and has previously said in interviews her traditional Indian family found her career ‘quite scary’.
Charithra Chandran
Charithra Chandran will play Kate’s younger sister, Edwina, who has been trained to be the picture-perfect debutante.
The British actress has been performing since a young age and appeared in the Amazon Prime spy thriller programme Alex Rider.
The up-and-coming star graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and has trained with the National Youth Theatre.
She has been involved in mainly smaller projects, including the television series Pillow Talk and several theatre shows.
Shelley Conn
English actress Shelley Conn will play the part of Mary Sharma, who in the books is Kate’s step-mother and Edwina’s birth mother.
She has several film credits to her name including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005, Nina’s Heavenly Delights in 2006.
Her television appearances have included on US TV show Mistresses, playing Dr Elisabeth Shannon in Terra Nova in 2011 and on The Deceived in 2020.
She is married to actor Jonathan Kerrigan and they have one child together.
Rupert Young
Another new addition to the Bridgerton cast is actor Rupert Young, who will play Jack.
Not much is known about his character at this stage, but he is said to be connected to a noteworthy family of the ton.
Rupert formerly appeared in the BBC drama Merlin, portraying Sir Leon, and has also appeared in classics including Doc Martin, Doctor Who and The White Queen.
He starred in the television film Dirty Filthy Love in 2004 alongside Michael Sheen and also in Writers Retreat in 2015.
Calam Lynch
Irish actor Calam Lynch will be portraying Theo Sharpe, a printer’s apprentice, in the second series of Bridgerton.
Calam has only been professionally acting for a few years but has so far appeared in TV shows Dunkirk and Derry Girls.
The 26-year-old has also appeared in several theatre shows including starring in Much Ado About Nothing alongside Mel Giedroyc and Kate Lamb.
More recently he starred in the 2020 Disney+ adaptation of Black Beauty as George Winthorp.
What will happen in Bridgerton season 2?
Each series of Bridgerton is set to focus on a different character, and now the Duke and Duchess of Hastings are loved-up, it’s the turn of Anthony Bridgerton.
New character Kate Sharma is set to become Anthony’s love-interest of choice.
We’re likely to follow their tumultuous romantic journey, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
And let’s not forget some of the returning main characters, such as Eloise Bridgerton, who we left about to start her journey as a debutante.
The series will be based on the next book in the series, called The Viscount Who Loved Me.
The novel itself follows Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to settle down, believing the only way to avoid heartache is not to marry for love.
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