Rupert Evans will join the cast of Bridgerton for the second series.
The actor, 44, is to play Edmund Bridgerton, the husband of Violet Bridgerton and father to their eight children, described as “an endlessly patient and kind father, who takes special pride in guiding his eldest son Anthony through life”.
The second instalment of the popular Netflix series, which is currently in production, will follow the story of the eldest Bridgerton sibling, played by Jonathan Bailey.
Evans has previously starred in Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle and in the rebooted series of Charmed.
The centrepiece of the first series of the Regency romp was the romance between the dashing Duke of Hastings, played by Rege-Jean Page, and Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor.
But some avid watchers were left shocked at the news Page will not return for the second instalment.
However, fans of Julia Quinn’s novels on which the show is based will not have been left too aghast, given that the duke’s romance largely plays out in the first of the series, before the focus shifts to the other Bridgerton off-spring.
If the novel storylines are closely adhered to for the upcoming series, then Evans’ appearances are likely to be in flashbacks to Anthony’s younger days as detailed in the book The Viscount Who Loved Me.
Get ready to fall in love with Simone Ashley, who will play Kate in Season 2 of Bridgerton.
Kate is a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools — Anthony Bridgerton very much included. ` pic.twitter.com/xdVilOjL4Y
— Netflix (@netflix) February 15, 2021
The second series will also welcome other new cast members including Simone Ashley, Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn, Calam Lynch and Rupert Young.
Produced by Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, Bridgerton has been a ratings success for Netflix.
The streaming giant revealed in January that the raunchy period drama was its biggest ever original series after it was viewed by a record 82 million households in 28 days.