Kate and Anthony aren’t leaving Bridgerton any time soon — despite their season 3 absence.

Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell was asked whether Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate’s (Simone Ashley) trip to India at the end of season 3 hinted at their exit from the show.

“No. No, I think the strength of sending them off to India for a little while is that it does leave the door open for them to come back, schedules allowing,” Brownell told Teen Vogue on Friday, June 21. “I think, understandably, when any of our lead actors have given over their lives for their season, in future seasons, we want to be supportive of the fact that they do have other projects coming in, and to ask actors to come back just to be in the background is not really fair to them.”

Brownell clarified that the writers’ room wants Bailey, 36, and Ashley, 29, back “as much” as they are able to, adding, “They give so much, even with just tiny little looks and gestures. They’re a magic pairing, absolutely.”

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While reflecting on their journey, Brownell broke down the vision they had for Kate and Anthony.

“I think after all they went through in their season, obviously, the focus for us this season was just showing them in a more loving place. But we also wanted to underscore how they’re still the Kate and Anthony you know,” she explained. “They still banter with each other and get annoyed at each other. We wanted them to show up in that way … They’re in a much wiser place, both of them, in their relationship to relationships.”

Brownell also pointed out that Kate and Anthony weren’t the only ones on the go. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) got married to John (Victor Alli), which meant they were moving to his property in Scotland. At the last second, Francesca’s sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie) asked to go with him.

Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton, Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma in ‘Bridgerton.’ Liam Daniel/Netflix
“For all of the stories that are left to tell, at least of the elder siblings other than Gregory and Hyacinth, I think people who know their books know that all three of their storylines do take us a little bit outside of the ton,” she noted. “That was one reason for moving Colin and Penelope up this season, was to, in the first three seasons, stay in our world that we already know, and then books three, five and six really do open up the world in a way that we’re excited about. But I can’t say just yet how that will play out.”

Based on Julia Quinn’s book series, each season of Bridgerton focuses on a different member of the titular family as they attempt to find love in 19th-century London. The hit Netflix series is expected to have eight seasons based on the eight novels written by Quinn, each centered around a Bridgerton sibling.

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Season 2, which was released in 2022, centered around Anthony’s search for a wife. His love life got a bit more complicated than he expected, however, when he fell in love with Kate while courting her sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran). Because of various obstacles, Kate and Anthony didn’t get together until the finale scene of the second season.

Fans were hoping to see more of Kate and Anthony in the third season, but they were largely missing from the first half. After going on an extended honeymoon, Kate and Anthony returned with news of her pregnancy. The fictional couple subsequently decided to return to Kate’s native India before the arrival of their first child.

Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma, Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in ‘Birdgerton.’ Liam Daniel/Netflix
Before Bridgerton’s third season debuted, Bailey hinted at the next chapter of Kate and Anthony’s story.

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“I’m a massive fan of Kanthony. There’s so much to enjoy for both of them now, and we explore that in season 3. They’ve overcome a lot,” he told W magazine in December 2023. “[We’re] talking about the need for communication in a romance, and that study of how they communicate and how little they did communicate until the very end [of season 2].”

Bailey continued: “So, now, we can see them completely celebrate each other for who they are. There are really lovely conversations about heritage and familial roles, and once you meet someone who understands you fully, having sacrificed so much for the families as they both have, how exciting [it is] to make decisions that might change the course for them [as a couple].”