The 31-year-old shot to international fame after being cast as Jonathan Bailey<\/a>\u2019s love interest in Bridgerton\u2019s 2022 series. While she\u2019s still part of the cast, her role as Kate \u2013 now Anthony Bridgerton\u2019s wife \u2013 has shrunk over the last two seasons as the focus moved to the other Bridgerton siblings and their romances. <\/p>\n While previous lead Reg\u00e9-Jean Page chose to leave<\/a> the show in 2020, Ashley has revealed that she still has a \u201cloyalty\u201d to Bridgerton \u2013 and will turn up to film whenever they want her.<\/p>\n Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast released on Tuesday (14 April), the actor said that she learnt a lot from co-star Bailey about committing to a production. <\/p>\n \u201cI think he set a great example, of I guess for a better word, the loyalty to the show, it is a show about family and returning home and returning to the family and I think a lot of people follow that suit,\u201d she said. \u201cI particularly learned a lot from that example. And now when we go back, there is that environment of coming home and feeling like we’re part of a family.\u201d<\/p>\n When quizzed by host Theroux on what she meant by being loyal to the show, Ashley added: \u201cI can only comment on what me and Johnny have done. And that is, we just really make sure that our schedules can just make it work. <\/p>\n \u201cComing back, I think he flew between like Toronto and London back and forth whilst he was filming Wicked. I thank God I’ve not been filming during the start of this year. I’ve done like eight cities in one month, so that would’ve been a bit nuts to figure out, but I would’ve done it. I would\u2019ve scheduled it in.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharing the podcast clip on social media, Bridgerton fans urged the show to give Ashley\u2019s character more screen time. \u201cI\u2019m so tired. Can they PLLLEEASE give more time and story to these folks. Can\u2019t be that much writing,\u201d one wrote on X. <\/p>\n Another said: \u201cTo all those annoying ppl who keep saying that it\u2019s her schedule that stops them from getting scenes. They continue to put it out that it\u2019s definitely not that and it\u2019s just the showrunners and writers.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ashley and Bailey appeared in all eight episodes of season two \u2013 which focused on Anthony and Kate\u2019s romantic spark \u2013 Ashley returned briefly in seasons three and four with the couple travelling to India and welcoming son Edmund off screen.<\/p>\n Bridgerton boss Jess Brownell addressed the characters\u2019 absence from the show in January, telling Glamour<\/a>: \u201cWe made this meal of sending them off to India at the end of season three, and that\u2019s a long journey. They weren\u2019t going to come back immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Bridgerton, Ashley has appeared in The Little Mermaid live-action reboot and the upcoming Devil Wears Prada sequel. She was set to appear in F1, but her role was ultimately cut from the final film<\/a>. <\/p>\n![\"Simone](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-13-21-18.png\")
Simone Ashley on ‘The Louis Theroux Podcast’ (The Louis Theroux Podcast)<\/p>\n![\"Simone](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2266777000.jpg\")
Simone Ashley stars in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ (Getty)<\/p>\n