Is Simone Ashley, 'Bridgerton's former leading lady returning for season three?

Ditching her modern-day clothes, Simone Ashley stepped into the regency world of Bridgerton season two, as Kate Sharma—bringing with her serious acting talent and important South Asian representation. And while she dazzled on-screen alongside her love-interest Jonathan Bailey (aka Anthony Bridgerton) there's one thing we need to know—will Simone be returning for season three?

We pose this question as we now know that Bridgerton season three will revolve around Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton (played by Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton.) Plus Simone was noticeably absent from the cast video that announced that production for the third instalment had begun.

The end of the second season saw Kate and Anthony finally declare their love and tie the knot—but will we see the Viscount and his Viscountess enjoy marital bliss? 

We'll answer all your burning questions, plus give you the lowdown on everything Simone Ashley.

Will Simone Ashley return for 'Bridgerton' season three?

The good news is yes, yes she will! In fact, she even announced that she wouldn't be returning to the cast of Sex Education because she's a 'Bridgerton girl now.'

Though fans feared that she would not be reprising her role after she was not featured in the new cast video from season three's set.  Fear not though Kate fans, because Simone has been very vocal about her return.

Kate confirmed the news to Deadline that Kate and Anthony will definitely be back. She said: “In Season two, there was a lot of push and pull between Kate and Anthony, there were complications with the family, and then they find each other towards the end. I think everything is just starting. I’d like to see Kate just let go a bit more and play more in Season three and kind of swim in that circle of love together. I think they both deserve it.”

Most recently she hinted to IMDB about what's in store for her character, she said: "Well, I’m excited to see Kate become Viscountess and head of the household and I think she has much to learn from Anthony and they’ll be two little partners, doing it together."

She then also added, “I’d love to see them have a baby. Yeah, to put it simply. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t, but hopefully, it will.”

Though her role will likely be smaller as the focus shifts to Penelope and Colin, we will still get our Simone fix.

Who is Simone Ashley, 'Bridgerton' star?

Wondering where you also might know Bridgerton's, Simone Ashley from? She's actually no stranger to the streaming platform, having played Olivia in Sex Education season three. 

Plus, you've likely come across Ashley in Deep State, where she plays Al, as well as Detective Pikachu and A Working Mom's Nightmare. 

Personal life-wise, Simone is 26-year-old and was born in Surrey, England, but found herself splitting her time between California and England pretty much her entire life. 

She's a true Renaissance woman: sports-oriented, a master in theater and a classically trained musician. With so many accolades, her choice of roles will undoubtedly abound. Although specifics about forthcoming projects have been kept quiet, we suspect she'll likely return to Netflix in the near future.

She's also a fashionista, having sat front row at the 2022 Fashion Week shows in Milan and Paris. Perhaps she will use that inspiration for a new project? (We're not counting down or anything...well, not really.) 

“Like, you look at what Rihanna’s done with Fenty lingerie,” she told Glamour UK. “Maybe one day I could do something like that…but give it a moment!”

Simone Ashley Instagram: what's her handle?

Ashley can be found on Instagram at the handle @simoneasshley, where she posts super-glam fashion shots, pics of her Bridgerton castmates, and adorable peeks at her pets. 

Simone Ashley ethnicity: what is her heritage?

Simone Ashley is of South Asian descent, specifically of the Tamil people, whose ancestry traces to southern India and Sri Lanka. 

When asked about advice she'd give to young Indian actors, Ashley told Elle Australia: “Stop worrying about if people will ‘want’ you, and just do it. We can be blinded by the commercialized side of the industry and think they only want a certain look, a certain type of person."

She continued: "But someone has to change the game sometime! Look at all the incredible movies, TV shows and artists out there of Desi heritage. And they are being celebrated big time. We need to celebrate each other and not guard ourselves by being competitive. Indian girls are so beautiful, and I am so happy to see more and more projects being made that involve all of us!"

But Ashley is aware of the issues of colorism in her industry, saying in an interview with Veylex: "[It's] an ongoing issue. As is being typecast, being looked over because of the color of your skin, losing roles to girls that are more ‘relatable’ to target audiences and markets. But if I surrender to all of that, where would I be going? Nowhere! F*ck that."

"So I try not to even think twice about any challenges that might come along due to my heritage. I say ‘Yes I can’ and see what happens," Ashley added. "And usually, that mentality breeds positive, bright, and beaming opportunities. It won’t be a ‘challenge’ for very long, the world is changing."

Simone Ashley parents: who are they?

Simone Ashley was raised by her parents, Latha and Gunasekharan, in a scholarly home. “I was the only non-academic in my family," Simone told Vogue. "Music, film, photography and art were my fortes."

While her parents were helpful and supportive of her, they were nervous about her chosen profession. “They still find it quite scary and unsettling,” Ashley told Veylex. “There is no crystal ball, no security, no guarantee. Which can be a parent’s worst nightmare. But they know I’m a smart lady."

She continued: "You can’t spend your life going with what your parents want, or your friends, teachers, lovers, want. You have to be your own hero and just go with your gut."

All of her fans are happy she did!

From the looks of it, Bridgerton season three is very much underway, so hopefully, it won't be long until we see Simone become Kate Sharma once again!