Bridgerton fans have had their minds blown as they realise some of the cast appeared in beloved children’s TV shows from CBBC.
When Bridgerton kicked off in 2020, fans quickly recognised some of the characters from their favourite UK shows like Simon Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), who were spotted as Waterloo Road alumni when they led the first season.
Fans also clocked that Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) was once in Chewing Gum as a weirdo who Tracey (Michaela Coel) briefly dated and also as Sam, a sex-obsessed character in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s debut show, Crashing.
Many also knew and loved Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) from Derry Girls and Portia Featherington (Polly Walker) from Line of Duty.
However, there are some stars whose past roles have been completely overlooked and forgotten with time.
In particular, fans have been shocked to discover that many cast members had humble beginnings on children’s TV shows on CBBC.
Ruth Gemmell
In Bridgerton, Ruth Gemmell plays Violet Bridgerton, a widow whose life revolves around her eight children and her attempts to marry them off and help them find true love.
But before Ruth stepped into her regency slippers, she played Carly Beaker in The Story of Tracy Beaker. The series is about a naughty child growing up in a foster home nicknamed ‘the dumping ground’.
The actress has played Tracy’s absent mother since 2004 and appeared in several spin-off franchise shows associated with the Jaqueline Wilson-inspired series.
The characters are very different so fans can be forgiven for not immediately realising that the actress appeared in one of the most iconic pieces of children’s TV of the noughties.
Jonathan Bailey
Jonathan Bailey is known, loved and adored as the dashing Viscount Anthony Bridgerton who wowed fans with his lusty performance in season 2 alongside Simone Ashley.
However, before the star became an international sex symbol, he too was a CBBC star, playing a young Leonardo da Vinci in the series Leonardo – a slightly less sexy role.
The series focused on the painter and his gang of friends who helped him with his inventions and solving crimes.
Leonardo ran from 2011 to 2012 when a fresh-faced Jonathan was just 23.
Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips, joined Bridgerton in season three playing Lord Debling, the vegetarian nature enthusiast who planned to propose to Penelope Featherington before realising her affections lay elsewhere.
Ahead of landing a role on the Netflix series, the actor played Jamie the bell boy in Hotel Trubble on CBBC.
The farce sitcom series aired on TV between December 2008 and August 2011 and focused on the mishaps of the incompetent staff as they juggled demanding guests – think Fawlty Towers but for kids.
Sam played the only competent hotel worker in a sensible role who is rather similar to his unenthusiastic and borderline dull character in Bridgerton.
Adjoa Andoh
Adjoa Andoh plays the beloved (and feared) Lady Danbury in Bridgerton who is the right-hand woman to Queen Charlotte and besties with Violet Bridgerton.
Although the actress was familiar to many fans as Martha’s mother Francine in Doctor Who, some took a while to realise that she also starred in the CBBC series M.I High.
The series was about a team of undercover children who worked for a special branch of the M.I.9 Intelligence agency and Adjoa starred as the Head of M.I.9 in series three and five. That’s right, she was the adult who hired children to work as spies.
Her no-nonsense secret-agent character wasn’t worlds away from her cut-throat persona as Lady Danbury – and both are rather good at dealing with secrets.
Claudia Jessie
Claudia Jessie who plays Eloise Bridgerton also began her acting career in CBBC shows, starring as Shari in Dixi, a web series that premiered in 2014 and ran until 2016.
The show focuses on Shari being hacked and trying to uncover the culprit in a mysterious whodunnit with a message about internet safety for kids.
Claudia’s character Shari is strangely similar to her Bridgerton character Eloise who also works as a secret sleuth to uncover a character with a hidden identity.
The actress also appeared in another beloved children’s TV show, The House of Anubis which broadcast on Nickelodeon.
Fans were gobsmacked to find that so many of the Bridgerton cast were CBBC legends from a TikTok from the creator, @j_watches.
On TikTok one fan, @ellacoldicottcommented on the TikTok, ‘Debling being in hotel trouble is CRAZY to me.’
‘I KNEWWWW I RECOGNIZED ANTHONY FROM SOMEWHERE,’ said @schlopywopy.
‘LADY DANBURY IN MIHIGH IS CRAZY THAT SHOW WAS MY CHILDHOOD,’ said another enthusiastic fan, @alinathefairy.
Another fan, @Dinaiosad joked: ‘tbf the UK does have like 50 actors that end up being in everything I feel.’
Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix.
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