Simone Ashley Confirms 'Bridgerton' Return After Being Left Off Cast List

Simone Ashley is reassuring Bridgerton fans that she actually is reprising her role as Kate in season 4.

“I know that I am returning, but that’s all I can say,” Ashley, 29, said in an interview with Glamour U.K., which was published on Wednesday, October 2.

The actress is attempting to remain on the show despite other work commitments. “I absolutely adore the show, and the more I can be a part of it, the better,” she added. “They’ve been really kind to work around my schedule.”

Production on season 4 of the hit Regency series is currently underway. Last month, Netflix surprised fans when they announced which cast members were confirmed for season 4. While Jonathan Bailey was listed as returning to play Anthony, Ashley was notably missing despite playing his love interest the past two seasons.

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After being the season 2 leads, Anthony and Kate took a step back when it was Penelope (Nicola Coughlin) and Colin’s (Luke Newton) turn to shine. Season 2, which was released in 2022, centered around Anthony’s search for a wife. His love life got a bit more complicated than he expected, however, when he fell in love with Kate while courting her sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran).

Anthony and Kate only got together in the last few minutes of their season, which is why viewers hoped to see more of their marital bliss. Anthony and Kate, however, were nowhere to be found as they kept leaving to go on honeymoons before deciding to travel to India amid her first pregnancy.

“I think the strength of sending them off to India for a little while is that it does leave the door open for them to come back, schedules allowing,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Teen Vogue in June. “I think, understandably, when any of our lead actors have given over their lives for their season, in future seasons, we want to be supportive of the fact that they do have other projects coming in, and to ask actors to come back just to be in the background is not really fair to them.”

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Brownell clarified, however, that the writers’ room wants Bailey, 36, and Ashley back “as much” as they are able to, adding, “They give so much, even with just tiny little looks and gestures. They’re a magic pairing, absolutely.”

At the time, Brownell teased the vision they had for Kate and Anthony.

“I think after all they went through in their season, obviously, the focus for us this season was just showing them in a more loving place. But we also wanted to underscore how they’re still the Kate and Anthony you know,” she continued. “They still banter with each other and get annoyed at each other. We wanted them to show up in that way … They’re in a much wiser place, both of them, in their relationship to relationships.”

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Before Bridgerton’s third season debuted, Bailey discussed what he would like to see from Kate and Anthony’s next chapter.

“I’m a massive fan of Kanthony. There’s so much to enjoy for both of them now, and we explore that in season 3. They’ve overcome a lot. [We’re] talking about the need for communication in a romance, and that study of how they communicate and how little they did communicate until the very end [of season 2],” he told W magazine in December 2023. “So, now, we can see them completely celebrate each other for who they are. There are really lovely conversations about heritage and familial roles, and once you meet someone who understands you fully, having sacrificed so much for the families as they both have, how exciting [it is] to make decisions that might change the course for them [as a couple].”

Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.