What was the real reason Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey had foundation applied to his butt?

It takes less than three minutes into the first episode of Bridgerton to be treated to our inaugural sex scene. Namely Anthony Bridgerton enjoying a knee-trembler up against a tree. But did you know that for this bare-bottomed scene, Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey had foundation applied to his butt?

And how exactly do we know this? And does this count as a genius makeup tip you're never heard before? Jonathan shared a picture on social media showing a makeup artist applying products to his derriere. 

When quizzed about the snap by UK talk show host Lorraine Kelly on her morning slot Lorraine, an embarrassed Jonathan simply put the incident down to reducing shine on his bottom.

"Can we talk briefly about bottoms?" asked Lorraine.

"Now we showed this photograph ..." before an image flashed on-screen showing a make-up artist applying what looks like a non-comedogenic foundation to the actors's derriere as he stood on-set with his trousers down.

Cheeky Scot, Lorraine quipped: "Now that's got to be one of the best jobs in the world - that's the wee lady who is, I think they call it 'fluffing' - is that what they do?"

Jonathan replied: "I don't know what they call it Lorraine - I think they call it ice breaking!"

He then went on to say: "But there is a moment when they say 'can we lower the britches' and when I lowered them they were like 'can we call in make-up?'...But luckily it was just to shine the botty."

But Grazia UK has revealed that there was more to it than that. After interviewing Bridgerton's make-up and hair designer Marc Pilcher and hair and makeup supervisor Lynda Pearce, it turns out that the makeup department were actually called in that day to deal with a very un-Regency era problem.

Aka a visible Speedo tan line. Obviously not the sort of thing a vampire-pale British Viscount would be sporting.

We're not sure what's left us frozen mid-coffee slurp: the bare butt image of Anthony Bridgerton or the fact that he still wears Speedos. The mind boggles.