Netflix's Regency hit series Bridgerton seems to have become a bit tamer in its second instalment, following its first season's raunchy sex scenes.
The record-smashing series produced by Shonda Rhimes is about to return to our screens with a chapter focused on Anthony, the eldest Bridgerton sibling played by Jonathan Bailey, and Kate Sharma (Sex Education's Simone Ashley).
In this second season, however, there are significantly fewer intimate scenes compared to the first, which zeroed in on Daphne Bridgerton's (Phoebe Dynevor) sexual awakening. Has the show gone prudish? Not according to the show's boss Chris Van Dusen.
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Speaking to Digital Spy and other media, Van Dusen said Anthony and Kate's relationship is an "incredibly fraught and charged and sexy enemies to lovers love story" that can be as steamy as the bond between Daphne and the Duke (Regé-Jean Page).
"I wouldn't necessarily call it a more subdued approach," he explained.
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"I think our approach to intimacy and sex on the show really remained the same from season one," he also said, adding that all sex scenes, choreographed with an intimacy coordinator, "serve a much larger purpose".
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Similarly to the first season, this second features smaller moments of intimacy that contribute to establishing Anthony and Kate's bond — and that would have been deemed absolutely inappropriate at the time.
"The steamy moments are just as sexy and scandalous as season one, as far as the longing looks across the room and the near finger and grazes and the hand touches," Van Dusen continued.
"I think all of that adds to the sexual tension that you feel this season and you just see it build, and you feel it build and build from scene to scene, from episode to episode."
Bridgerton season 1 is now available to watch on Netflix. Season 2 will premiere on March 25. Secret Cinema with Fever Present Bridgerton is open now in Wembley. To purchase tickets, head here.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
