Bridgerton is back in session. Production on the second season of the Netflix historical romance TV series has resumed after an abrupt halt in mid-July, the result of two positive COVID-19 cases on the set. The production had been shut down indefinitely due to the scare, but Variety reports that the show has resumed full production on the story of the Bridgertons’ eldest son, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey).
At the time of shutdown, Netflix did not confirm whether the two positive cases were members of the cast or crew, but the streaming giant did confirm that both individuals went into isolation. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen confirmed the production’s restart to Variety, expressing his enthusiasm for the look of the much-anticipated second season.
“We are back under way,” Van Dusen said. “We had to delay because of COVID, but we’re back in it. Right now I’m in post, editing our first couple episodes, which are looking great.”
Bridgerton was one of many U.K.-based shows to suffer a production halt due to COVID-19, including the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, which only just resumed production at the end of July. At the moment, the shooting delay does not seem to have affected the release date of the second season, who are anxious to see how the story of the Bridgerton family — adapted from Julia Quinn’s series of novels — continues.
“There’s always been a pressure with this show from the beginning,” Van Dusen said, “Being inspired by these beloved novels with fans who are so passionate and feel so strongly about these characters and these stories. There’s always been a healthy pressure there, I welcome it and I say keep the pressure on.”
After breaking viewership records for Netflix, Bridgerton was quickly renewed for a third and fourth season just after announcing its second season. Fans were upset to see star Regé-Jean Page announce his leave from the show, but many still have much to look forward to with the story of Anthony Bridgerton and his quest for a suitable partner.
No release date has yet been announced for the second season of Bridgerton, though with production still underway, fans can anticipate the drama to return sometime in 2022. Season 1 is currently available to stream on Netflix.