Bridgerton

History can be measured by recurrent events, such as the Olympics and American presidential elections that come around every four years. Both, as it happens, take place again this year.

Television drama is less regularly repetitive, but adaptations of Dickens’s Great Expectations were screened by the BBC in 1959, 1967, 1981, 2011 and 2023. The lengthier interval either side of the millennium was filled by major film versions that became fixtures in the TV schedules.

Joining the cast is Blake Harrison (World on Fire), who plays Sergeant Morris, with Rosie Cavaliero (Funny Woman), Amanda Drew (The Gold) and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (The Great) appearing as guest stars. In addition, Tom Forbes (Rules of the Game), Luke Norris (Poldark), Ella Bruccoleri (Passenger) and Michael Workéyè (This is Going to Hurt) will also guest star.

Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is making a cameo as Jack Maddox, a classicist making waves on Instagram and setting Charlie’s heart aflutter.

The series two finale saw Charlie (Joe Locke) open up to boyfriend Nick (Kit Connor) about his history of self-harm. Nick tries to say “I love you”, but can’t quite get the words out. Later, Charlie writes it out in a text, and has his finger over the ‘send’ button, before the episode – and series – comes to an end.

Each series of Bridgerton has so far focused on a different sibling of the Bridgerton family and their search for love.

In series three, it is Colin Bridgerton’s (Luke Newton, The Lodge) turn, and his perfect match might just be his long-time friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan, Derry Girls) who, unbeknownst to Colin, has been holding a candle for him for years.

The Traitors: The Movie will star Suranne Jones (Vigil) as presenter Claudia Winkleman, Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones’s Baby) as contestant Diane and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) as Harry. Expect to see all the iconic moments from the series, from Ross’s winking, Harry’s scheming and Diane’s murder.

First up with advice at the late-January session was trainee Miriam Sumeray, who said: “As a trainee, the thing that’s going to set you apart is your soft skills more than your practical skills.” She added that being “personable and organised” were key.

Sumeray recommended using the ScreenSkills Trainee Finder scheme, which had helped her land her first jobs in the industry.

Each series of the Regency era drama sees a different sibling of the Bridgerton family enter the marriage market, with the events of ‘the season’ being heavily documented by their own version of Gossip Girl, Lady Whistledown. Series two saw serial-bachelor Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey, Crashing) finally attempt to settle down, and finding love in an unlikely place, with enemy Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley, Sex Education).