Bridgerton creator did not want new series to provide a 'history lesson'

The creator of Netflix period drama Bridgerton has said he was “not interested in providing a history lesson” to viewers.

Chris Van Dusen told the Radio Times that the genre can be “a little traditional”.

The hit series, based on a series of books by Julia Quinn, recently helped drive Netflix to more than 203 million global subscribers.

Van Dusen told the magazine that he did not want the series, which is set in Regency London, to be a typical period drama.

“We were not interested in providing a history lesson – these people didn’t exist,” he said.

I was interested in exploring the intersection between history and fantasy. We wanted to turn up the volume on the costumes and the lack of bonnets speaks to the modernity of the world we have created.

 Van Dusen said he was “obsessed” with the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride And Prejudice.

“Colin Firth coming out of that lake with the white shirt is seared in my mind,” he said. “I wanted to see a period piece that went further than that.” 

He said he wanted to “lean into” the amount of sex there is in the books to make the series “sexy, a little dangerous and fun”.

“I wanted it to be a wild ride that would leave the audience hot and bothered and a little breathless,” he added.

It was revealed last week that filming for series two of Bridgerton will begin in the spring.

The series stars Rege-Jean Page, Phoebe Dynevor, Nicola Coughlan, Jonathan Bailey and Claudia Jessie.

• Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.