Simone Ashley recently confirmed she will return for Bridgerton season 4 as Kate Sharma Bridgerton, but Anthony and Kate’s potential storyline still raises a few concerns. There has been significant speculation about whether Simone Ashley would return for Bridgerton season 4, especially since she has been vocal about wanting to reprise her role. There was no news for a while, and things began looking dire. However, Simone Ashley shared with Glamour that she is coming back for Bridgerton season 4, finally quelling my worries about the show writing off Kate Sharma.
It has been a relief, especially considering Regé-Jean Page’s exit as Simon Basset after Bridgerton season 1 and Phoebe Dynevor’s exit as Daphne Bridgerton after season 2. Thankfully, Kate Sharma Bridgerton will appear in season 4, but this confirmation does not simmer my concerns for the fourth season. Now that both Anthony and Kate are officially returning for Bridgerton season 4, I have some other apprehensions regarding secondary storylines—more specifically, how the show will tackle Anthony and Kate’s plot and the significance of their roles.
Simone Ashley Returning As Kate Avoids A Bridgerton Season 4 Problem
Kate Sharma Is A Key Character In Bridgerton
Kate Sharma Bridgerton is officially returning for Bridgerton‘s fourth season, avoiding a potential problem the show would have encountered if they did not include her character. Kate is not just another Bridgerton love interest; she is the matriarch of the family and the head of the household alongside Anthony Bridgerton. She plays a critical role in Gregory Bridgerton’s love story, but the show has expanded the scope of the Bridgerton family. That means the Viscount and Viscountess must have more critical roles in the show than they did in the Bridgerton books.
Furthermore, Kate Sharma is one of Bridgerton‘s best characters, and she deserves to continue her story even after receiving her happy ending. There is a significant Kate storyline from the books the show has not covered, and it would be an excellent idea to explore this plot as a secondary storyline in a future season. As long as Simone Ashley wants to return to the show, Bridgerton should continue to include Kate. Bridgerton would have made its biggest mistake in writing off Kate, but thankfully, the show did not go down this route.
I’m Worried Anthony & Kate Will Have Very Small Roles In Bridgerton Season 4
Jonathan Bailey & Simone Ashley Both Have Busy Schedules
Although Anthony and Kate are officially returning for Bridgerton season 4, I still have some concerns regarding the significance of their roles in the upcoming season. Anthony and Kate’s story in Bridgerton season 3 was pretty simplistic. They were still in their honeymoon era, although we did get to see Kate take on some Viscountess responsibilities in the latter half of the season. However, most of the time, Anthony and Kate were blissfully away on another honeymoon. Realistically, they cannot be in their honeymoon era forever, so it is time for their characters to have more significant storylines again.
Unfortunately, Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley have busy schedules, and it might be difficult to incorporate them for significant amounts of time in Bridgerton season 4. Jonathan Bailey has been especially busy lately, appearing as Fiyero in the Wicked film adaptation. Jonathan Bailey will also star alongside Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali in Jurassic World Rebirth, the next installment in the Jurassic Park saga. Therefore, it might be difficult for Anthony and Kate to play significant roles in Bridgerton season 4, even though they should.
What Will Anthony & Kate’s Story Be In Bridgerton Season 4?
Anthony & Kate Are Now Parents
While Anthony and Kate’s future storylines are challenging to determine, their Bridgerton season 4 storyline is quite obvious. At the end of Bridgerton season 3, part 2, Anthony and Kate leave for India, where Kate will give birth to their first child before returning to England. Bridgerton season 4 has the opportunity to portray Anthony and Kate as first-time parents while juggling household responsibilities. It is an ideal storyline, and we would love to see Anthony and Kate navigate parenthood and Viscount-Viscountess duties. Seeing them lean on each other for support would be sweet, especially since it might be difficult.
Regardless of how Bridgerton decides to tackle Anthony and Kate’s season 4 storyline, I am hopeful that we will see little family moments as they bond with their baby boy, Edmund, for the first time.
Anthony and Kate could also play significant roles in Benedict and Sophie’s love story, providing critical advice, similar to Kate giving Colin advice regarding Penelope in Bridgerton season 3. It would be another excellent way to include these fan-favorite characters while still shining the spotlight on the season’s leads. Regardless of how Bridgerton decides to tackle Anthony and Kate’s season 4 storyline, I am hopeful that we will see little family moments as they bond with their baby boy, Edmund, for the first time.