Revealed: the bizarre prop that’s the secret of Bridgerton sex scenes

It is television’s raciest period drama, but viewers of Bridgerton may be surprised to learn that a deflated netball plays a key role in the sex scenes.

Jonathan Bailey, lead actor in the Netflix hit, has disclosed some of the show’s behind-the-scenes secrets.

Sex scenes were choreographed by an intimacy coordinator, who brought an unusual array of props to filming of the second series.

Mr Bailey told Radio Times: “It’s amazing how that whole industry has just come on, even in a year. There are new tricks to the trade [like] little cushions, and it’s amazing what you can do with a half-inflated netball.

“If there are two people doing a sex scene, the rule is they must have three barriers separating them. And there are certain acts where a half-inflated netball can allow for movement without having to connect physically.

“It’s pretty silly, really, and we have some hilarious moments, but it makes it less awkward.”

He plays nobleman Anthony Bridgerton in the Regency-era drama, which became Netflix’s most-watched original series when the first series was broadcast over Christmas 2020.

Following the departure of Regé-Jean Page, leading man in series one, Bailey will step up to be the show’s brooding heart-throb.

The 33-year-old said the drama would explore his character’s toxic masculinity. “It’s interesting to get behind these Heathcliff and Darcy characters and explore why romantic male figures are so harsh and toxic towards women,” he said.

One of his love interests is Edwina Sharma, freshly arrived from Bombay. She is played by Charithra Chandran, who had planned a career in management consultancy after graduating from Oxford University in 2019.

Ms Chandran explained: “I had a job offer at a company and they offered me a year out, to travel or do a Master’s. I thought: ‘I’m going to use this year and get all the acting out of my system and then I can settle into the 60-hour-a-week job.'

“Six months later, the pandemic happened. But before that I’d had the best six months of my life doing local theatre and short films. Something clicked - I had finally found my purpose.”

The first series of Bridgerton, based on the novels by Julia Quinn, the US romance writer, was watched by 82 million households in its first month of release - a Netflix record.

That record held until last September’s release of Squid Game, with 111 million household views.

Bridgerton is notable for its “colour-conscious” casting, with black actors - and Asian actors in series two - taking on half of the roles.

Ms Chandran said: “I had people at university tell me: ‘You only got the lead in that show because they needed to have a person of colour in it.’”

As an actor of Indian descent, she “knew there would be fewer roles open to me”, adding: “Bridgerton totally changed that.”