Simone Ashley confirms Bridgerton return after being cut out of F1 movie

Bridgerton sensation Simone Ashley has opened up about feeling "very safe and comfortable" while shooting steamy scenes for the smash-hit series, Bridgerton. The star of Sex Education, who is also on the cusp of dropping her first album, labelled the Netflix sensation Bridgerton as pure "fantasy".

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, she said: "It's about, 'What if?' and how love conquers all. Bridgerton represents nudity with a sense of romance, and I felt very safe and comfortable in what I was choosing to show to the world."

With the fourth instalment of the period drama set to hit screens next year, Ashley shared with the publication: "'That show just gets bigger and bigger. Everyone has gone off to do incredible things, but we come back and it's like time hasn't moved."

READ MORE: Bridgerton star facing 'Hollywood erasure' despite acting alongside Brad Pitt

Recounting her bold move to Los Angeles at the tender age of 18, she revealed: "I was really scrappy. Since I was little, if I wanted something, I would do anything I could to get it. So, I took some modelling jobs to pay the bills and got into acting through that."

Gracing the digital cover of Harper's Bazaar, Ashley divulged that her upcoming album was born out of a recent split. She explained: "It's going to be somewhat confessional... and beautiful and messy.

"Good songs don't come from times when my life is regimented and predictable. They come when I am feeling vitality, and usually you either feel that way when your heart's broken, or you're euphoric. This work has been an amazing channel to put all those feelings into."

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This new career move comes after Ashley's recent role in rom-com Picture This. Following the release of that movie, the Bridgerton star opened up about the importance of diversity in romantic-comedies.

The Sex Education icon, who was born to Tamil parents, stars as photographer Pia - who is juggling a failing business while dealing with the arrival of her ex and her parents' concern for her love life. The feel-good movie was released on Amazon Prime Video on 6 March and also stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

She added: "I would say the younger me is kind of like, 'Oh my gosh, we did a rom com and it's an Indian girl leading it!'" Although she wishes she could have seen diverse characters when she was younger, she hopes Picture This helps with it. She said: "To put it simply... When it comes to this movie, I just want brown women to have it and to just win!"

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