Simone Ashley Confirms Kate Sharma Will Return to Bridgerton Season 3

The new viscountess will take on the role of head of the Bridgerton family.
Good news for all Simone Ashley fans: She just confirmed that her Bridgerton character, Kathani “Kate” Sharma, will be returning for season three. On Tuesday, March 29, in Los Angeles, Netflix and Bridgerton hosted a dinner celebrating South Asian culture with guests including Never Have I Ever’s Poorna Jagannathan, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Richa Moorjani, along with late-night host Lilly Singh, actor Kal Pen and more.

Apparently, there are spoilers ahead for season two of Bridgerton.

During the event, Ashley shared the exciting news about her character, who becomes Viscountess Kate Bridgerton in the final scenes of season two. “We’re coming back! Kate and Anthony are just getting started,” Ashley said in an interview with Deadline. In the same interview, she talked about what viewers of season two already know; the latest story is a story of slow growth and love, with family obligations and a duty to the heart at the end.

“In season two, there’s a lot of push and pull between Kate and Anthony, there’s complications with the family, and then they find each other at the end,” she said. “I think it’s just getting started.”

One big difference between the previous two seasons of Bridgerton and the highly anticipated third season is the change in showrunners. Seasons one and two were run by series creator Chris Van Dusen, but seasons three and four will feature a new showrunner, Jess Brownell, a writer best known for Inventing Anna and Scandal.

As for what Ashley hopes to see in season three for her character, the Sex Education actor said she just wants to see Kate (and her new husband) have more fun, and honestly, we totally agree. “I’d like to see Kate let go a little more and play a little more,” she said. “I think they both deserve it.”

We can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the Bridgerton family’s new viscount and viscountess will be back, unlike some other notable characters who didn’t return (cough, cough, Duke of Hastings).

Much of the plot in season two revolves around Jonathan Bailey’s Anthony Bridgerton, as he takes on the role of viscount and head of the family. Now that he’s found a wife – who he’s completely in love with – his mother, Lady Violet Bridgerton (played by Ruth Gemmell), will be stepping down from her role as the head of the Bridgerton household.

The 27-year-old actor confirmed that Kate will take over the family once she becomes viscountess. “She’s got big boots to fill,” Ashley continued. “I think she can do it. I want to keep that softness and vulnerability for Kate, for sure, and she can share that with Anthony. I’m just excited for her to have a home and have a family. I’m excited to see her grow up.”

Following on from the first two seasons, season three will likely revolve around the Bridgertons’ second-eldest son, aspiring artist Benedict. However, much remains to be said at the end of season two, with the relationships that blossomed and fizzled out involving Colin Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Eloise Birdgerton and Edwina Sharma.

Simone Ashley has mentioned that she wants Edwina’s story to develop in the upcoming seasons as well, and if the moment between the Queen and the youngest Sharma is anything to go by, there could be a royal wedding in season three. A wedding that will see Sharma and the Queen’s nephew Prince Friedrich (played by Freddie Stroma), who Queen Charlotte has confirmed is still single, after being rejected by Daphne Bridgerton in season one. One thing is for sure, the Bridgerton family has gotten a lot bigger, and we’re counting down the days until season three.