Lady Whistledown brings glad tidings to the ton, because Bridgerton is finally back for a second season at its fashionable country seat of Netflix. The first season brightened up lock-downed Christmases across the land – with its combination of Jane Austen style romance and Shondaland sexiness – way back in 2020.
So, what will Season 2 bring? Eight episodes, ranging in length from 53 to 71 minutes, and based on the second book in the romance novel series by Julia Quinn. After the first season focused on Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and her Duke, amusingly named Simon Basset (Rege-Jean Page), the second will centre around Daphne’s brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey).
Anthony is the eldest of the eight (!) Bridgerton siblings, and as his father has died, he is already Viscount and head of the family. His declaration that this will be the season that he finds a wife, sets every marriage-minded Mama a-flutter. Enter the Sharma sisters to stir things up – newcomers to the show and to the ton – they are Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran).
Fans of the first season were disappointed to discover that breakout star Rege-Jean Page would not be returning for the second season, but as the focus was shifting away from Daphne, he never would have had a huge role in it anyway. This is also the season that Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) extremely reluctantly makes her debut. Will the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel) select Eloise, a Sharma Sister, or someone else as this season’s Diamond?
Season one revealed the identity of Lady Whistledown in the finale, which will obviously have ramifications this season. This season will also see the Featheringtons needing a solution to their financial problems, and former bareknuckle boxer Will (Martins Imhangbe) going from pugilist to proprietor of a gentleman’s club.
Seasons three and four have already been confirmed by Netflix, so there will be plenty of Bridgerton to look forward to after Anthony’s season. With season two of Sanditon back on PBS, season two of Starstruck on HBO Max and The Lost City in cinemas – it feels like an extremely lucky time to be a romance fan.