“Bridgerton” Showrunner Teases Simone Ashley's Kate Could Play a Major Role in Eloise's Season (Exclusive)

Julia MooreTue, March 3, 2026 at 10:22 PM UTC

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Simone Ashley (left); Claudia Jessie (right)Credit: Francois Durand/Getty; Karwai Tang/WireImage -

The next two seasons of Bridgerton will be led by Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Francesca (Hannah Dodd), showrunner Jess Brownell previously confirmed, though she did not reveal who is up first

When it comes time for Eloise's season, Brownell tells PEOPLE she has big plans in store for Simone Ashley's character, Kate Sharma

Fans were outraged when Ashley and Jonathan Bailey, who plays her husband, Anthony Bridgerton, were absent from part 1 of Bridgerton season 4

There are big plans in store for Simone Ashley on Bridgerton.

The actress led season 2 of the hit Netflix series alongside Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma, and the pair have reprised their characters in seasons 3 and 4, acting as mentors for Bailey's on-screen younger siblings, Colin (Luke Newton) and Benedict (Luke Thompson), during their journeys to find love.

Showrunner Jess Brownell has her eye on Ashley, 30, for even bigger arc in an upcoming season.

Brownell confirmed at the Paris premiere of season 4 that the next two seasons of the show will follow Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Francesca (Hannah Dodd), though she did not reveal who will be first up. Now, she tells PEOPLE that whenever it's Eloise's turn, Ashley will play a big role.

"I also am really partial to the relationship between Kate and Eloise. That's something that I'd like to continue following in the future," Brownell reveals.

Simone Ashley (left); Claudia Jessie (right)Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix (2)

"So when we eventually get to Eloise's season, Kate is someone I'll be very interested to have around, if I can."

While it's unclear whether that will be sooner or later, Brownell's plans for Ashley are sure to placate fans who were open about their disappointment that both Ashley and Bailey, 37, were absent from the first installment of season 4.

Brownell also had an explanation for that absence, though. "I think for Benedict in particular, it was important for Anthony to be elsewhere in part 1, to give Benedict a moment to struggle with the weight of being the second son who's filling in for the viscount," she tells PEOPLE.

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"Benedict's sense of responsibility or lack thereof, is a bit of a runner that we're following with Benedict's journey. And for Anthony to be in India — or later in Aubrey Hall — it allows Benedict the chance to rise or to fail."

From left: Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton, Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma, Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton, Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton, Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton in "Bridgerton" season 4Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Still, there was no way that she was going to have the fan-favorite couple gone for good. "It also felt incredibly important to bring Anthony back, because the relationship with Benedict is so key between the first and the second [parts of season 4]."

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Similar to her plans for Ashley to play a major role in Eloise's season, Brownell also hopes to bring back season 1 leads Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor in the future.

"I would love to one day have all of the leads come back. I think it would be really meaningful, especially when I think forward to Hyacinth and Gregory's story," she told PEOPLE, referring to the seasons that will be led by Florence Hunt and Will Tilston, respectively.

"In particular, Daphne and Anthony, and their partners, are such paternal/maternal figures for those younger kids, so I would be very interested in trying to get some of those previous leads back for the later run of the show."

All four seasons of Bridgerton are now streaming on Netflix.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”