Netflix’s Bridgerton forced to delay filming AGAIN after another Covid case
IT is set in the 19th Century, long before lateral flow tests and NHS apps that go ping.
But that doesn’t mean Netflix bonkbuster Bridgerton is immune from Covid.
Just a day after filming resumed on the eagerly awaited second season, it has been halted once again.
The Sun told last week how shooting for the show, which stars Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton, had been paused due to a positive case among the crew.
But the new case is said to be one of the stars.
Filming has now stopped again after they were shown to have the virus.
The production team had only resumed work on Friday.
A telly source said: “The demand for the second series is huge, so to stop filming again is a real headache.
“This could lead to proper delays and it will be extremely costly for them because shooting such a big production is expensive at the best of times, let alone when you’ve got sets staying empty and actors who can’t work.
“Filming was stopped immediately as soon as the new positive case was detected but they had only just got back on set. They have a rigorous testing regime, so it’s hoped the case was found quickly enough and that no one else on set got it. But a lot of people are now isolating.
“Filming will start again once it is deemed safe but for now it has been paused indefinitely.”
The crew had been working on the series at Wrotham Hall, an 18th Century pile in Hertfordshire, when the case was detected.
Covid regulations have made shooting difficult, as Bridgerton is known for its crowd scenes and sexy romps — neither of which can easily be done with social distancing.
More than 82million people watched the first run in the month after it was released on Christmas Day — and three more seasons have been commissioned.
But leading man Rege-Jean Page decided to bow out as Duke of Hastings Simon Bassett and will not appear in the next season.
With all the stopping and restarting, he must feel like he made the right decision.
Synch and swim with Rita
THE sun is shining and Rita Ora is back in her bikini, naturally.
She led the charge of celebs stripping down to their swimwear and posting snaps on Instagram at the weekend as the UK basked in scorching temperatures.
But Rita wasn’t actually enjoying the sunny climes of Britain, as she is still in Los Angeles where she has been living and working for the past two months.
The singer, who released new single You For Me with SIGALA earlier this month, posed for the photo between takes for the song’s video.
I revealed last month how Rita was filming the lavish clip at a swanky pool in LA.
She hired a team of synchronised swimmers to add some fun to the shoot, which also sees her showing off her moves both in and under the water.
No matter where she is in the world, Rita is always able to cause a splash.
Al: It'd be a Carr crash
ALAN CARR had a good reason not to invite his own family to his wedding – nobody else at the bash would have been safe.
He tied the knot with husband Paul Drayton in an intimate ceremony officiated by their pal Adele at her mansion in Los Angeles in 2018 but decided not to fly his relatives out for the ceremony because there are always disasters when they are involved.
That is because the comedian claims that at the last wedding he went to with his family, he ended up kicking a child by accident.
Speaking during a stand-up set in London last week, he said: “My family were pissed off because I didn’t invite them, because I just wanted it private.
“Where there’s Carrs, there’s always drama.
“Do you know what happened at the last Carr wedding? I kicked over a baby.
“Listen, have you ever been in a high-speed conga? It was terrifying. The baby came out and I was like, ‘Nooo!’ I kicked the baby and then pretended it wasn’t me.
“Then there was a fight, someone punched my uncle. It was hell.
“They wanted to come to the wedding just to have a nose around Adele’s house, let’s be honest.”
I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t mind having a snoop around her place, too.
French Canadian
FRENCH MONTANA has revealed he has a song with Drake on the Canadian’s highly anticipated album Certified Lover Boy.
He told US radio: “Shout to my boy Drake, we got some heat coming out.
“It’s supposed to be on CLB but you never know with him.” The rapper went on to tell The Angie Martinez Show it was like a second part to their 2012 track with Rick Ross, Stay Schemin’, and their 2014 song Pop That.
French added: “We definitely got one of those.”
Yeezus, who's he kidding?
IF KANYE WEST thinks this balaclava will help him fly under the radar, he couldn’t be more wrong.
He stood out like a sore thumb while watching a basketball game in Las Vegas with fellow rapper Ice Cube.
Rumour is Kanye will release a new album this week after a post by Consequence showed him playing new music to Tyler the Creator.
It has been almost two years since his dodgy last album, Jesus Is King.
With his divorce looming, things can only get better.
EUROVISION winners Maneskin are set for their highest spot in the UK Singles Chart. I Wanna Be Your Slave is expected to hit No3, an early look reveals.
Isle hit charts next, says Jack
LOVE Island isn’t just spawning overpaid influencers any more – it is making bona fide music stars.
Just like his fellow 2018 co-star Wes Nelson, who last year went to No 3 with debut single See Nobody, Jack Fowler has cranked up the pace on his music career.
He has signed to Island Records – home to top artists including Ariana Grande and Drake – and today releases his single Foolish to mark Freedom Day in England.
In an exclusive chat about the track, Jack said: “I released music back in 2020 during lockdown but the feeling I have around Foolish feels so natural and I’m very excited.
“Foolish is a song I wrote at the studio with a friend. It’s got a real Ibiza vibe, it’s a party song.
“With lockdown coming to an end and clubs opening up, it seems like a great song to cater to the overall morale for the country.”
Foolish will also be heard as part of sponsor I Saw It First’s advert during the ITV show tonight.
And while Jack is completely serious about his new chart career, he admitted his journey from Majorca to the music business hasn’t all been plain sailing.
He added: “Love Island was a great catapult for me but music is something I have always wanted to do. It feels like I’ve gone full circle. Having the platform I do comes with a lot of pressure.”
“There are people who say, ‘You’re a Love Islander, you shouldn’t be doing this or that…’ but I am not someone who wants to stay in one lane. It’s something I’ve always wanted to pursue.”
Just the Chan for the job
GEMMA CHAN really sparkled during her latest red carpet appearance.
The actress wore this gold number for the premiere of French comedy OSS 117: From Africa With Love.
She was in Cannes as part of the famous French film festival.
Director Spike Lee was left red-faced when he accidentally revealed the winner of the top Palme d’Or award, Titane, prematurely.
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Apologising, he said: “I have no excuses. I messed up.
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“I’m a big sports fan. It’s like the guy at the end of the game in the foul line, he misses the free throw, or a guy misses a kick.”
I feel Spike’s pain.
Hot or Not
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LIAM and Noel Gallagher finally agree over their new Knebworth film.
CONGRATS on getting hitched to Jade Jones after 23 years.
DANI Dyer has at last dumped her wrong’un boyfriend Sammy Kimmence.
EVEN Laura Whitmore knows Love Island series 7 is dull – she never turns up.
RUSSELL Brand was tedious, boasting about not following National Trust rules.