The first look teaser for the highly-anticipated second season of Netflix’s Bridgerton dropped on Saturday and debuted a brand new face, Kate Sharma.
Kate (played by Simone Ashley, 26) defiantly confronts lothario Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, 33, in a bid to call out his objective views of women.
The show-stopping clip begins with the titular character entering the garden announcing, ‘I can hear…’ before Kate interrupts, ‘Pardon me, my Lord.’
‘I never got your name. I was wondering if we would meet again,’ says Anthony, to which Kate sassily replies, ‘So you might discern if my wit is acceptable, my manners genteel?’
‘You were eavesdropping,’ he says.
‘It was hardly an effort. Seeing as you were proclaiming your many requirements for a wife loud enough for the entire party to hear,’ the newcomer says.
‘I am so in love with her already’: Newbie Kate Sharma put Viscount Bridgerton in his place in a brand new teaser for period drama’s second season… and fans went wild for it
‘You take issue with my requirements,’ Bridgerton questions.
‘I take issue with any man who views women merely as chattels and breeding stock,’ Kate declares.
‘None of that was meant for…’ Anthony insists before he is cut off with, ‘Viscount Bridgerton, yes, when you manage to find this paragon of virtue, what makes you think she will accept your suit?
‘Are the young ladies of London truly so easily won by a pleasing smile and absolutely nothing more?’
Confident: Simone Ashley’s, 26, character defiantly confronts lothario Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, 33, in a bid to call out his objective views of women
Look of surprise: ‘When you manage to find this paragon of virtue, what makes you think she will accept your suit?’ she asks the Viscount in the show-stopping trailer
Hilarious: Adding that Bridgerton’s opinion of himself is ‘entirely too high,’ she concludes, ‘Your character is as deficient as your horsemanship’
‘So you find my smile pleasing?’ he asks.
‘I find your opinion of yourself entirely too high. Your character is as deficient as your horsemanship. I shall bid you goodnight,’ Kate says before defiantly storming off.
The teaser was introduced by Jonathan and co-star Nicola Coughlan, who jokingly warned fans to ‘prepare thyself’ – with the trailer released as part of Saturday’s Netflix TUDUM event.
It wasn’t long before wild fans of the period drama rushed to their keyboards to share their adoration of its latest addition in the YouTube comments section.
‘She literally said you’re a horrible person and you can’t ride a horse for s*** goodnight pLS i am so in love with her already [sic], one wrote.
Another added, ‘She is exactly what Anthony needs, someone with character and strength, someone that’ll keep him grounded, and shut him up from time to time.’
A third chimed in, ‘Kate: “Your character is as deficient as your horsemanship. I shall bid you goodnight.” I love her already I’m so excited!’
Hilarious: It wasn’t long before fans of the period drama rushed to their keyboards to share their adoration of its latest addition in the YouTube comments section
One more said, ‘The moment she said Viscount Bridgerton Anthony was deadass silenced. Can’t wait to see her keeping Anthony shut.’
Simone was announced to be playing Kate earlier this year, and her character’s surname has been altered to reflect Simone’s South-Asian background.
The show has been praised for mixing up tired casting, and featuring BAME cast members in prominent societal roles such as Regé-Jean as the Duke of Hastings, Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte, and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury.
Bridgerton is Netflix’s most-watched series ever, as more than 82million households tuned in to watch after its release on Christmas Day last year.
The first season focused on the romance between Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and Simon, Duke of Hastings, the role which Rege-Jean Page bade farewell to in April– to the dismay of his many fans.
Renewed for a second, third and fourth season, the next is based on Julia Quinn’s second Bridgerton novel The Viscount Who Loved Me.
It will shift the focus to Daphne’s brother Anthony, who will go on the hunt for a suitable bride when he meets sisters Kate and Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sheffield, renamed Sharma for the show.
While he tries to pursue Edwina he finds himself becoming attracted to Kate instead, despite the fact they are often at odds with each other.
Bridgerton two filming has been thwarted by a series of Covid outbreaks on set this year.
Bridgerton series two production reportedly ground to a halt once again late last month after bosses muddled up positive and negative COVID-19 tests, according to The Sun.
In August production resumed on the second season after two positive coronavirus tests shut it down – but the set experienced a further minor delay due to the testing gaffe, meaning it was not known which test belonged to whom.
It was alleged due to a positive test among the tests, bosses on the set in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire had to retest the entire cast and crew and wait for the results.
A source said: ‘Nothing can account for mistakes, sadly, and producers cannot take any chances, given it could quickly tear through cast and crew and shut production down for a while. The tests were cross-contaminated, meaning they all had to be done again.
Spellbinding: The first season focused on the romance between Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and Simon, Duke of Hastings, the role which Rege-Jean Page played
‘Ironically, when they came back a second time the positives were negatives so maybe they could have ploughed on regardless.
‘They had to revise and shift the shooting schedule slightly but it hasn’t caused any delays to shooting thankfully. It could’ve been a lot worse.’
MailOnline contacted a Netflix spokesman for comment at the time.
Last month Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen confirmed that production has resumed on the highly-anticipated second season after two positive coronavirus tests shut it down.
‘We are back under way. We had to delay because of Covid, but we’re back in it,’ the 61-year-old showrunner told Variety.
‘Right now I’m in post, editing our first couple episodes, which are looking great.’
Bridgerton will return to the small screen in 2022.
Exit! Rege-Jean left fans disappointed when he revealed he won’t be starring in the follow-up season, after alluring legions of admirers