Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley reveals future of her character on Netflix show

‘Kate and Anthony are just getting started,’ said star

Simone Ashley has said her character will be returning to Bridgerton for the show’s third season.

Ashley, 27, joined the cast of the hit Netflix drama as Kathani “Kate” Sharma, whose love story with Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) formed the crux of season two.

Prior to Bridgerton, Ashley was best known for playing Olivia in the streamer’s critically acclaimed teen drama Sex Education. She has also appeared in Casualty, Broadchurch and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.

In a new interview with Deadline, Ashley confirmed she will be reprising Kate Sharma’s role in season three, adding that “Kate and Anthony are just getting started”.

Spoilers for Bridgerton season two below

After seven episodes of “vexing” each other, at the end of season two Kate and Anthony finally get married to start their new lives as the Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton.

Speaking to Deadline, Ashley said that she hopes her no-nonsense character will “let go a bit more” in season three.

Adding that Bridgerton writer Jess Brownwell is “taking the lead” as showrunner next season, Ashley also told the publication that she hopes Anthony and Kate “kind of swim in [their] circle of love together” because they “deserve it”.

Teasing the possible plot line, Ashley also excitedly revealed: “[Kate’s] in charge of the household now and she’s got big boots to put on. I think she can do it.

“I want to keep that softness and vulnerability to Kate, for sure, and she can share that with Anthony. I’m just excited for her to have a home and to have a family.”

Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma with Jonathan Bailey, who plays Viscount Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix’s historical romance drama (LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX)

On how she hopes her character will evolve going forward, the actor said: “I think I’d like to see Kate being much braver and less headstrong and more heart strong.”

Ashley has previously hailed the casting of herself and fellow South Asian actor Charithra Chandran as sisters Kate and Edwina in the drama as “incredibly important”.

“We are representing a minority of women in particular seen on television screens, and I think it’s wonderful that more South Asian women can identify themselves within these characters,” she said at a promotional event for season two.

You can read The Independent’s three-star review of the latest season here.