Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey teases Anthony's season 2 character journey
The actor will explore his character's "toxic" traits as he meets his match in season 2.
Jonathan Bailey's so-called reformed rake Anthony Bridgerton will be at the centre of the romantic drama (and all the croquet) in season 2 of Netflix's Bridgerton.
The actor stars as the eldest Bridgerton brother, who will be embarking on a quest to find a bride which leads him to meet the Sharma sisters, Kate (played by Sex Education star Simone Ashley) and Edwina (Charithra Chandran).
While Kate tries to prevent Edwina's courtship with Anthony, believing him to be nothing more than a sexist cad, she becomes embroiled in a war of words with the bachelor, which inadvertently brings them closer together.
In season 1, Anthony developed a reputation for being a 'bad boy' and making glib comments intimating that women were inferior to men, which Bailey attributes to his character's "self-loathing", grief for his late father, and his fear of taking on the patriarchal role.
The actor spoke of the challenges of chipping away at his character's shallow exterior and digging deep into the story to explore why Anthony displays such "toxic" traits.
"The idea that [Bridgerton] is coming out again is a bit of a rug pull," Bailey told GQ. "It's quite scary. What it means to be a rake, and how his anxiety and self-hatred plays into that. [In typical period dramas] you never really get behind the men, or know why they're avoidant and toxic."
“Going into the first season, I wanted to fully break Anthony," show creator Chris Van Dusen added. "So that we could put him back together in the second."
We've already seen a clip of his character being put firmly in his place by Ashley's Kate, after she confronts him over his seemingly endless requirements for a wife. "I take any issue with any man who views women as chattels or breeding stocks," Kate informs a flabbergasted Anthony in a recent teaser clip.
We can't wait!
Meanwhile, season 2 will feature the return of Dame Julie Andrews as the voice of Lady Whistledown, as well as the return of Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), and the rest of the core cast including Phoebe Dynevor, Claudia Jessie, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, and Polly Walker.
Bridgerton is streaming now on Netflix, with the second season due to land on Friday 25th March 2022. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
