The viscount is out of office. Jonathan Bailey shared picturesque photos from an Italian villa on Instagram on October 1. The Bridgerton star, 33, could be seen doing a handstand by the pool (shirtless), enjoying the company of friends (shirtless), and reading a book (shirtless) in the photo dump. Has it already been mentioned that he is shirtless?
The sexy snapshots come as fans await the second season of the Netflix series, set to premiere sometime in 2022. The horny breakout hit, based on the book series by Julia Quinn, centers on close-knit siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family as they find love during Regency-era London. While the first season centered on the courtship between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), Season 2 will be centered on Jonathan’s Anthony Bridgerton and his own quest for love.
Sex Education star Simone Ashley has been tapped for the role of Kate Sharma, Jonathan’s love interest. While on TODAY in January to confirm the Season 2 renewal, the show’s creator Chris Van Dusen said that Anthony and Kate’s love story will “be as sweeping and moving and as beautiful as viewers of the first season have come to expect from the show.” He later added of the viscount, “We left him at the end of the first season at a bit of a crossroads, so I’m looking forward to jumping in and discovering how he fares on the marriage market.”
Much of the original cast will return for the sophomore season, including Phoebe and the scene-stealing Nicola Coughlan. One notable absence will be Regé-Jean, who won’t be returning as Simon. “We’ll miss Simon’s presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family,” Netflix said in a statement. “Daphne will remain a devoted wife and sister, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to offer — more intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear.”
On September 25, Netflix debuted a first look at the highly-anticipated second season. Kate and Anthony are front and center in the teaser clip; and while Kate has a discernible distaste for the viscount, the sparks are palpable. Watch the first look above.