Simone Ashley may no longer be Bridgerton’s leading lady, but the season two star still clears her schedule whenever she’s asked to reprise the role of Kate Sharma.
The 31-year-old shot to international fame after being cast as Jonathan Bailey’s love interest in Bridgerton’s 2022 series. While she’s still part of the cast, her role as Kate – now Anthony Bridgerton’s wife – has shrunk over the last two seasons as the focus moved to the other Bridgerton siblings and their romances.
While previous lead Regé-Jean Page chose to leave the show in 2020, Ashley has revealed that she still has a “loyalty” to Bridgerton – and will turn up to film whenever they want her.
Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast released on Tuesday (14 April), the actor said that she learnt a lot from co-star Bailey about committing to a production.
“I think he set a great example, of I guess for a better word, the loyalty to the show, it is a show about family and returning home and returning to the family and I think a lot of people follow that suit,” she said. “I particularly learned a lot from that example. And now when we go back, there is that environment of coming home and feeling like we're part of a family.”
When quizzed by host Theroux on what she meant by being loyal to the show, Ashley added: “I can only comment on what me and Johnny have done. And that is, we just really make sure that our schedules can just make it work.
“Coming back, I think he flew between like Toronto and London back and forth whilst he was filming Wicked. I thank God I've not been filming during the start of this year. I've done like eight cities in one month, so that would've been a bit nuts to figure out, but I would've done it. I would’ve scheduled it in.”
Sharing the podcast clip on social media, Bridgerton fans urged the show to give Ashley’s character more screen time. “I’m so tired. Can they PLLLEEASE give more time and story to these folks. Can’t be that much writing,” one wrote on X.
Another said: “To all those annoying ppl who keep saying that it’s her schedule that stops them from getting scenes. They continue to put it out that it’s definitely not that and it’s just the showrunners and writers.”
While Ashley and Bailey appeared in all eight episodes of season two – which focused on Anthony and Kate’s romantic spark – Ashley returned briefly in seasons three and four with the couple travelling to India and welcoming son Edmund off screen.
Bridgerton boss Jess Brownell addressed the characters’ absence from the show in January, telling Glamour: “We made this meal of sending them off to India at the end of season three, and that’s a long journey. They weren’t going to come back immediately.”
Since Bridgerton, Ashley has appeared in The Little Mermaid live-action reboot and the upcoming Devil Wears Prada sequel. She was set to appear in F1, but her role was ultimately cut from the final film.
She’s not the only Bridgerton star who’s up for returning to the show, with season one’s Phoebe Dynevor telling Collider Ladies Night on Sunday (12 April) that she didn’t choose to leave the show after season two.
“We were the ones that got away I think. I can only speak for myself but I would always come back if I was asked,” she said. “I have not received a call and when I get that call, I will be there if I can.”
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