Hot news from the ton: here's a first look at Bridgerton season two

Bridgerton’s Lady Whistledown and her fabulous gossip about the ton will make their way back to Netflix sooner than you can imagine. The streaming platform shared a highly anticipated first look at the Shonda Rhimes-produced drama’s second season during their global fan event, Tudum. Based on Julia Quinn’s novels set in London’s Regency era, the romantic period series revolves around the hunt for suitable partners for the eight aristocratic Bridgerton siblings.

Created by Chris Van Dusen, season one centered on debutante and eldest daughter Daphne’s (Phoebe Dynevor) love story with Duke of Hastings, Simon Bassett (Regé-Jean Page). Page, who was nominated for an Emmy award this year, will not return for season two. The sophomore season will instead focus on the search for a proper bride for Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest son and holder of the family estate. It is based on Quinn’s second Bridgerton series book, The Viscount Who Loved Me.

Season two introduces the Sharma family (known as the Sheffields in the book). Sex Education’s Simone Ashley will play the spirited Kate Sharma, while Charithra Chandan plays her sweet younger sister Edwina. Anthony sets his eyes on the latter, but Kate is immediately suspicious and want to ensure Anthony doesn’t break Edwina’s heart.

As seen in the first teaser for the new season, we get our first glimpse of Ashley as Kate. In the clip, Kate and Anthony have a heated exchanged. “I take issue with any man who views women merely as chattels and breeding stock,” she tells him.

Bridgerton’s episodes are narrated by Julie Andrews, who voices the anonymous Lady Whistledown, the writer behind a scandalous newspaper column that spreads gossip and rumors. Think of her as the Dan Humphrey or Deuxmoi of yore. The season one finale revealed Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) as Lady Whistledown, and season two will further expand on that cliffhanger.

Along with Bailey, Dynevor, and Coughlan, other returning cast members include Adjoa Andoh, Claudia Jessie, Luke Newton, Luke Thompson, Polly Walker, Ruth Gemmell, and Golda Rosheuvel. Rupert Evans joins as family patriarch Edmund Bridgerton.

The premiere date for Bridgerton season two is still forthcoming.