“You know that feeling when you finish and a show and you’re like ‘what do I do with my life now?’”
Hey, there’s a Bridgerton podcast now. You’re welcome.
Hosted by comedian Ben Butler and musician Robbie Christmas, A Bridgerton Podcast delves deep inside the world of high society Regency London, breaking down each episode of the Netflix Shondaland show and engaging in a deep dissection of the Bridgerton’s and the Featherington’s ever-so-dramatic lives.
“You know that feeling when you finish and a show and you’re like ‘what do I do with my life now?’ I had that with Bridgerton,” Ben tells Her.
“Rather than finding a new show or – you know – doing something actually productive, I figured I’d start a podcast about it. Vanity Fair described Bridgerton as the ‘perfect antidote’ to what’s been a terrible year. And I think it really is. Sure, the show can be trashy; but terrifically so.
“When the world we live in has so much bad in it, and we’re constantly assaulted by an avalanche of dread; it can sometimes be nice to retreat into a world where beautiful people have banal problems.”
And have banal problems they do. Much of Bridgerton’s first season is dominated by issues of matches, marriages, and men who think the pull-out method is guaranteed to ensure they don’t father a child.
It is exactly this that makes the show so watchable. A welcome respite from the doom and gloom of the pandemic, Bridgerton had audiences hooked from the second it dropped onto our screens – and in fairness, 63 million households can’t be wrong.
“Us all being at home likely contributed to Bridgerton’s massive viewing figures, but it does mean we miss out on the watercooler conversation opportunities,” says Ben.
“The podcast is a place where Robbie, I, and the fans can recreate some of that. We even have some listeners who don’t watch Bridgerton, but listen to the podcast so they can keep up with their WhatsApp groups.
“I was a little worried that we might anger some fans, as we do make fun of the show. But, the comedy always comes from a good place: we’re both big fans. Robbie’s watching it one episode at a time, so everything’s new to him. I’m on my second viewing, and have read up a bunch on the show, so I think we strike a good balance.”
Currently on its third episode, A Bridgerton Podcast already has listeners in 22 countries – a number that is undoubtedly only set to rise now that audiences have officially got a second season on the way.
Although we know very little about what to expect in the next instalment, Ben’s almost certain there will be just as much scandal – if not more.
“Part of the beauty of my initial Bridgerton experience was coming in blind, but it’ll be different this time round,” he says. “I’ve been pouring over articles and fan forums and, without giving away any spoilers, the focus is going to be on Anthony.
“In classic Bridgerton style, it looks we’ll have another ‘will they, won’t they’ as the main plot. I also think it’ll be interesting to see how long Penelope can hold onto her secret.
“I don’t totally understand why, but I’m a big fan of Mr Finch – the Philipa Featherington suitor who constantly sneezes and loves cheese – so I’d love to see him return. What I do know, for sure, is that A Bridgerton Podcast will be there every step of the way.”
You can listen to A Bridgerton Podcast on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
