Anthony is not in part one, so why was Jonathan Bailey written out of Bridgerton season four

Bridgerton season four has finally released, but Jonathan Bailey’s character, Anthony Bridgerton is missing, so here’s why he was written out of part one.

Anthony Bridgerton is one of the most iconic characters in the entire Bridgerton universe. From his Viscount stress to his slow-burn love story with Kate Sharma, Anthony has become a proper fan favourite. And obviously, a huge part of that is Jonathan Bailey himself. His performance, his charm, and his energy have made Anthony one of the most loved characters on the show.

In season four, the servants mention that Anthony and Kate are in India, and that Kate had her baby there. One of them says, “I, for one, am glad the viscountess had her baby in India.”

So in the Bridgerton world, Anthony is simply away with Kate, starting their family and living their married life abroad.

But why was Jonathan Bailey written out of Bridgerton season four part one?

via Netflix

Jonathan Bailey has been open about stepping back from acting after years of nonstop work. In an interview with British GQ, he explained, “I’ve been working solidly for about three years now, which has been amazing and mind-blowing. But with everything happening in the world right now, I’m going to stop acting for a bit next year and just focus on The Shameless Fund.”

The Shameless Fund is Jonathan’s UK-based charity that supports LGBTQ+ organisations through partnerships with global brands. He’s been putting real time and energy into growing it, saying, “Over the next few months, I’ll be focusing on staffing and making sure we get all the right people in all the right places.”

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Later, he also clarified that he was never leaving acting for good. In an interview with Esquire UK, Jonathan explained, “I mean, as it stands at the moment, I’ll definitely be back to work next year. I’m not taking the whole of 2026 off.”

So while Bridgerton explains Anthony’s absence by sending him and Kate to India, the real-life reason is a mix of timing, scheduling, and Jonathan choosing to slow down after massive projects like Wicked, Fellow Travelers, Jurassic World: Rebirth.

So, is he returning for part two?

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Yes, and you can breathe again. Jonathan Bailey has already confirmed that he is returning to season four, part two. Speaking to Good Morning America in 2023, he said, “Obviously, being the older brother, I’m gonna be there to support the youngsters as we go.”

He also added, “I’ve got a couple of weeks etched out in my schedule for returning.”

Which makes it very clear that he was never leaving Bridgerton for good. He was also spotted in a sneak peek for season four. So, this confirms that Anthony will return in part two, which drops on February 26.

So while part one may feel a little empty without him, it’s only temporary. Sometimes, the head of the Bridgerton family just needs a little trip to India first.

Part one of Bridgerton season four is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.