Adjoa Andoh details how Bridgerton’s diversity in front of and behind the camera is "really wonderful"

Since its initial release, Bridgerton has been celebrated for rethinking what many think of as it relates to period dramas. A genre of TV that was often concerned with primarily white leading casts, Bridgerton's arrival on our screens has not only breathed new life into the medium, but has also proven that diversity can be done seamlessly and effectively for any major series.

Yerin Ha marks a first for the series though, with her character Sophie Baek being the show's first East Asian lead and opening the doors on another level of joyous representation.

While Bridgerton has continued to be a beacon of light for many in terms of onscreen representation, series star Adjoa Andoh also took the opportunity to highlight the behind-the-scenes diversity of the show also.

When asked about her hopes for the future of diversity and representation within TV and film, Andoh told RadioTimes.com for Pass the Mic: “We live in the world, don’t we? And it’s lovely to have the world be able to watch themselves on screen.

"We all love that, we love to see it – put a baby in front of a mirror and it’s the most fascinating thing ever. I don’t think we ever lose that fascination, whoever you are, from whatever background you are.

"To have the range and the multiplicities of the stories, you will have stories that may focus on one demographic more and then another demographic but to have all the stories at a variety of times, it’s great."

She added: "At a deepest level, we’re all human beings – we all love, we all get scared, we all need warmth and friendship, all those things and that’s common to all human beings. So to see all human beings in front of the camera and behind the camera is really wonderful.”

Since season 1 premiered all the way back in 2020, the period drama has spawned a loyal legion of fans who are dedicated to the stories, its characters and often female-led storytelling.

Previously speaking to Radio Times magazine about why casting actors of colour in a period drama is so important, Andoh said: "It has expanded the possibilities of what stories you can tell, how you tell them and who can be in them. It also means you've expanded your audience.

"When I stay with family in Ghana, people will charge across the street to me, excited about a costume drama set in Regency England. They identify with it in a different way."

Read more:

• Bridgerton star teases "confronting" season 4 character dynamic between Francesca and Michaela
• Bridgerton star reveals how season 4 sets up her own leading story: "I’m buzzing to one day do it"

However, as a show that has consciously cast a lot of its central characters as people from the global majority, it has come under fire from some critics.

Responding to criticisms that the show has gone "woke", Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes told a panel during last year's Edinburgh TV Festival that she's "never going to write a show that doesn't include me". In terms of addressing that specific criticism, Rhimes went on to say: "I learned a really long time ago that I don't read things that are written about me or the shows.

"And the reason is because if you decide to believe the good things that are written about you, you also are obligated to believe the bad things that are written about you.

"So I've decided that none of it matters. It's really important to stay out of that. How people react and take in the show is none of my business."

Bridgerton season 4 part 1 premieres on January 29th and Part 2 on February 26th, both on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.

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