Throwback Thursday: Netflix Erasure of Kate Bridgerton with "Just Anthony" highlighted

This post was originally posted on 7 September 2025

Netflix have not responded to any requests for comment on this post.  

On 29 August this article was published on the Netflix Tudum site celebrating Jonathan Bailey's best moments as Anthony Bridgerton, including three moments from season 2 that included his onscreen love interest played by Simone Ashley.  The fact that these three moments were included, yet in the introductory paragraph Simone Ashley, and her character Kate Bridgerton (formerly Sharma) was not mentioned. Of itself it is not egregious considering that the article was about Jonathan Bailey, but the author included mention of Simon and Daphne, and Penelope and Colin, so that when it came to season 2 the author referred to "just Anthony Bridgerton" the exclusion of Kate (and Simone Ashley) was obvious, and seemed very deliberate.  The author clearly framed the season 1 and season 3 leads as equal in their stories, but for the season 2 protagonists the author dismissed Kate's importance to Anthony's story and love story.  That she eventually included Kate in a later paragraph does not redeem the author, but rather reinforces that the author - and by extension Netflix - does not value Kate's (and Simone's) contribution to the story of season 2, with Kate being mentioned almost as an afterthought.  

Screenshot of Netflix Tudum Article

If this was a one off situation then it probably would not have garnered quite the same notice in the fandom, but the exclusion of Kate as a character, and Simone Ashley as an actress, is an ongoing issue with both Netflix and Shondaland, leading many to believe that both Netflix and Shondaland have (at best) a problem with Kate (or Simone), or (at worst) have an active dislike of - or contempt for - Kate as a character (or Simone as an actress). Neither perception is good for Netflix or Shondaland. To continually exclude Kate from articles on Bridgerton, especially when directly connected to Anthony, and to continually exclude Simone Ashley from promotional materials, makes their claims of diversity and representation ring hollow, she is after all the Viscountess Bridgerton and was the season 2 lead. The continual exclusion of Simone Ashley (and Kate) from promotional content reinforces the perception that neither Netflix nor Shondaland prioritise representation of women of colour, or specifically the representation of South Asian women of colour. But worse, the continual exclusion of her by Netflix and Shondaland leads to other media outlets excluding her - or at least diminishing her importance in the show when compared to white counterparts. 

Image Credit: Netflix

One example is this article by gossip site Just Jared, where they are discussing the returning and new cast for Bridgerton season 4. In this we see that of the main cast members returning Kate is the only one that does not have a character description from Netflix, suggesting that Netflix does not care enough about Kate to include a character description for her. It should also be noted that there is no surname for the character of Kate provided, whilst the other returning leads (who are all white), have surnames listed for their characters. What does this say about how Netflix views the first women of colour lead in Bridgerton? Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern and three times is a choice, and to exclude, or diminish, the only dark skinned South Asian lead in Bridgerton is a choice that Netflix make over and over again. In doing this Netflix, and Shondaland, continually alienate and anger fans, most women of colour and many of South Asian heritage, they are telling these fans that they are not important, and that for them the South Asian representation is not important, further it tells everyone that Netflix prioritises white characters, and white stories over that of South Asians, meanwhile they will still use their South Asian Viscountess in promotion to entice those fans. Netflix's actions suggest that for them representation is superficial and meaningless. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The appeal of Bridgerton is the love stories, but you cannot have a love story with only one partner, so to omit one of the two partners in a love story diminishes the growth of both partners in the story. In the opening paragraph of the Tudum article, the author not only erased Kate as being important to the season 2 love story, but diminshed Anthony's arc by lessening the contribution of his screen partner, something she did not do for other lead couples. The fact that Kate is played by a dark skinned South Asian woman indicates a wider issue where women of colour - particularly dark skinned women of colour - are treated as incidental in the storytelling rather than essential to it, something that we see over and over when it comes to Kate Bridgerton. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The author's wording may have been intended as a clever way to show that Jonathan Bailey's performance as Anthony was the focus of the article, it did not come across that way to many reading the article. By referencing the season 1 and season 3 couple as a pair, each equal in their stories, the "just Anthony" line worked more to suggest that Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate was unimportant in Anthony's story. We cannot talk about Jonathan Bailey's portrayal of Anthony without discussing Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate, but this is what Netflix did, and has done, while using Kate (and Simone Ashley) to promote to the demographic that she represents, which diminshes the claims of diversity and representation in Bridgerton by Netflix and Shondaland. 

As a result of the backlash of this article Netflix Tudum updated their article, however, instead of updating the article with the inclusion of Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley) in the first paragraph they have merely removed the writer's name and given the byline to 'Tudum Staff'.  While I understand that this was potentially done to protect the writer from harassment, (I understand some fans have posted her linkedIn details and have said they contacted her through that), I believe that this has made Netflix look worse. I am not saying the writer deserves harassment because she does not, however, by removing her name and replacing it with a generic 'Tudum Staff' Netflix have made it appear that Netflix are protecting a white (or lighter skinned) woman whilst still diminishing and erasing a darker skinned woman of colour. 

I am not saying Netflix were wrong in trying to protect a freelance writer that does work for them, but if they listened enough to understand fans were angry with the writer why not fix their glaring omission in the first paragraph? As it stands Netflix have still tried to erase, and diminish, a woman of colour in an article where White women are given equal standing to their screen partners.  Netflix need to do better. 

Note: I requested comment on this article from both the author of the article and Netflix, neither have responded. 

Throwback Thursday: The continual disrespect for Kathani, Lady Bridgerton

This post was originally published on 12 March 2025

In 2021 Simone Ashley was cast as Kate Sharma, the main female character opposite Jonathan Bailey's Anthony Bridgerton for season 2 of Bridgerton.  By the end of the season we find out that Kate and Anthony have married (despite not seeing their wedding onscreen), thus making Kate the Viscountess (as called by Anthony in the epilogue scene).  In the very first episode of season 3 Kate is directly called Lady Bridgerton, which makes it baffling as to why in official Netflix articles for both season 3, and now season 4, Netflix has referred to Kate by her unmarried name.  In contrast to this, Penelope was referred to as Penelope Bridgerton in official Netflix media prior to season 3 being relased, and again in official Netflix media for season 4.  This is just the latest in a number of issues with the way that Netflix, the Bridgerton production, and Shondaland, have promoted, written for, or spoken about Kate as a character, and Simone Ashley as an actress.  This subject has become bigger than one post so over this year I will be doing a series of posts looking at different aspects of the disparity in treatment from Netflix, the production and Shondaland between Simone Ashley - and her character of Kate - and the other female leads and their characters. 

Image Credit: Netflix

When the initial cast list was released by Netflix for season 4, Simone Ashley did not appear on it, leading many to believe that she would not be returning, despite having stated that she wanted to return.  This idea that Netflix did not want to have The Viscountess in the show, especially when they failed to complete her story arc in season 3, was mindboggling, but not surprising.  It took Netflix over 4 months before Jess Brownell announced that Simone Ashley was returning at the Valentine's Day event - after Jonathan Bailey  had filmed, which has led to more questions about her appearance in season 4.  Does she have scenes with her onscreen husband? Will we see her baby? Or will we again be left with an incomplete storyline and very little of Kate? Making it seem yet again that Kate is not a member of the Bridgerton family, let alone Lady Bridgerton.  It should also be said that many online noted that Jess Brownell did not look excited, interested, or happy that she had to announce Kate's return to Bridgerton which has left some questioning if she was forced into announcing it, or was she forced into having Kate return?  

Valentine's Day also saw official Netflix articles about season 4 release, and immediately it was noted that the character of Kate was listed as Kate Sharma, not Kate Bridgerton nor as Lady Bridgerton, but rather by the character's unmarried name.  This in itself would not have been a problem if it was not for the fact that the characters of Penelope and Francesca were both listed  with their married names (Bridgerton and Stirling respectively), so why the difference? It is hard to know, but it is not hard to miss that Penelope and Francesca are both white characters, whilst Kate is not, I am not saying that was the reason, but the optics of it are not good for Netflix especially when other evidence is taken into account (that will be discussed in other posts where this one will be referred back to).  Kate was married by the end of season 2, two seasons prior to the one currently being filmed, while Penelope and Francesca both married towards the end of season 3, yet they have the respect of being listed with their married names whilst Kate is still listed with her unmarried name.  To some in the fandom this is dismissed as a minor matter and not a slight, however, what this indicates is that Netflix does not see Kate as a Bridgerton, or even as a main character, and it diminishes her role within the show and the family, while they are saying that the white female characters are more important.  Kate is The Viscountess Bridgerton, but reduced to being an outsider, while Penelope has immediately become a member of the titular family, and that Kate is also a dark skinned woman of colour presents a view of Netflix that contributes to the negative perception about Bridgerton and Netflix that some fans have. 

This could be overlooked as an error if it was a one off, however, this is not.  Netflix, and Shondaland, have shown a pattern of diminishing both Kate as a character and Simone Ashley as an actress (many of which will be addressed through this year), and the author of this article previously wrote an article in 2023 ahead of season 3, initially omitting Simone Ashley as a returning character (though she had been seen on location filming), then adding her but referring to her character by her unmarried name only changing it to Bridgerton after an online backlash and some online publications highlighting this in article.  This was not the only slight against the character of Kate by Netflix or Shondaland , in an article in 2024 on Shondaland's website, a caption for two images names Penelope as 'Penelope Bridgerton' (in an image from episode 2) whilst Kate is named as 'Kate Sharma, sending the message that Shondaland views Penelope as more of a Bridgerton than Kate, who is The Viscountess, whilst Penelope was still a Featherington at that point in the story. I realise that for some the idea of being upset over how a fictional character is discussed may be seen as unimportant, I view it as something that we should be concerned about, as often the entertainment media we consume will reflect the values of those producing the media as well as wider societal values. We, as viewers, will form our view of the organisational culture of companies like Shondaland and Netflix via the media they produce - and that includes the articles they choose to write for their websites, the media releases they choose to send out, and the way they choose to promote their products. 

In these articles Netflix and Shondaland are telling young women of colour - specifically young South Asian women - that they are not equal to their white counterparts and that Netflix (and Shondaland) has no care for them compared to their white counterparts.  For many it is these little details that matter, because if Netflix (or Shondaland) has no care, or interest, in the small details for their South Asian character in Bridgerton, then what care or interest do they have for their South Asian audiences beyond taking their money?  For some of these fans the diversity that Netflix and Shondaland like to talk up and promote in Bridgerton feels very performative as opposed to substantative, and they send the message they don't really care about diversity or their diverse actors.