Bridgerton Inspires Fans to Visit UK Filming Sites
After Tehreem Iqbal began watching Bridgerton, she felt compelled to travel from Canada to the UK to experience the show's filming locations firsthand.
"It was a dream of mine,"
the 31-year-old said.
When planning a trip to England to visit family, Tehreem also created an itinerary to explore the places where her favourite series was filmed.
Since its debut on Christmas Day 2020, the Regency romantic drama Bridgerton has become a major success for Netflix, ranking among its most-viewed shows. The first half of season four, released at the end of January, ranked in Netflix's top 10 most-watched shows in 91 countries.
Although the series is primarily set in London's Mayfair, key filming locations include Bath, where the Royal Crescent serves as the Featherington home, and Greenwich, where Ranger's House represents the Bridgerton family residence.
The production also features several grand estates across England, such as Castle Howard in Yorkshire, Belton House in Lincolnshire, and Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, to depict the wealth and elegance of the Georgian upper class.
Fans are drawn to the show's visual style as much as its narrative, telling that visiting filming sites helps them feel part of "the Ton"—despite modern elements like traffic and tourists somewhat diminishing the period atmosphere.
Tehreem described her visit to Greenwich as "misty and slightly rainy," but the weather did not lessen the experience.
"It was a big moment for me to see it in person,"
she said. Tehreem has also gained recognition from Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan and author Julia Quinn for her artwork inspired by the show.
Exploring Bridgerton-related content on Instagram or TikTok reveals numerous posts of fans posing outside the Abbey Deli in Bath, which doubles as the Modiste dress shop, or the Old Royal Naval College, a backdrop for various scenes. These posts often feature the show's soundtrack and references to Lady Whistledown and the "gentle reader."
Melissa Maddock, a 26-year-old from Nottingham, has amassed nearly 800,000 followers on TikTok by visiting filming locations. She said visiting Bath "genuinely felt like stepping into the show."
"The locations looked the exact same as you see in the TV show,"
Melissa said, contrasting Bridgerton with other series that rely heavily on set dressing.
When the first episodes of season four were released last month, Alexis Reise Brodman, 27, was awake at 03:00 in New York to watch them on Netflix.
She rewatched all four episodes that night while hosting a watch party for friends, complete with finger sandwiches, scones, and tea.
During a visit to the UK last year, Alexis made sure to see the show's filming locations in Bath and Greenwich.
"It was a little jarring to see the car park outside Ranger's House,"
she said, but added she was still "starstruck" to be there in person.
Tehreem shared a similar perspective, noting that Ranger's House appeared as a "normal building" with buses passing nearby and tourists around. This made her appreciate the show's set dressing and post-production, which added wisteria and other elements to transform the exterior.
Tourism and Tours Boosted by Bridgerton's Popularity
Paul Elliott has operated Bridgerton tours in Bath since 2021. Initially uninterested in the show, the pandemic's impact on his industry and the show's high viewing figures prompted him to start offering tours.
Early on, Covid restrictions limited group sizes to six and required temperature checks.
Since then, he has guided visitors from around the world and even led six Bridgerton fans on a Christmas Day tour.
"I don't think any of us expected quite the phenomenon we've seen around Bridgerton,"
said Seb Conway, general manager of Basildon Park in Berkshire, which served as the Featheringtons' garden and Lady Tilley Arnold's house. He noted visitors from "all over the world" have come due to the show's association.
"We even had people coming here and getting engaged because it was featured in Bridgerton,"
he added.
Seb also highlighted the production team's modifications to the site, such as using artificial flowers in the rose garden for winter scenes and strategically placing props and camera angles to conceal mirrors that could not be removed.
Fans Embrace the Regency Era Through Cosplay and Events
For some, visiting Bridgerton filming locations is part of a broader engagement with the show's Regency world.
Alia Pyatt, a 31-year-old cosplayer from California, creates her own Bridgerton-inspired Regency dresses and plans to visit filming sites in costume this summer.
"It immerses you in that fantasy,"
Alia said, describing it as a form of escapism.
She and her friends, also avid fans, have cosplayed as Bridgerton characters, adopting period-appropriate posture, behaviours such as using a fan, and the "old-world way of speaking" from the Regency era.
This enthusiasm has contributed to a surge in Bridgerton-themed experiences and events, including candlelight concerts and balls.
London's Lanesborough hotel offers a Bridgerton afternoon tea.
"Aesthetically, it's a very Instagrammable experience,"
said Jo Stevenson, the hotel's head of sales and marketing.
Netflix provides the hotel with a mood board featuring flowers, colours, and dresses from each series to guide the menu design. Netflix and production company Shondaland approve every detail, including the names of cakes and cocktails.
Tehreem has attended Bridgerton-themed events in Toronto, where she met other fans and felt "immersed in Regency world."
However, her visits to actual filming locations have yet to include sightings of the show being filmed.
"I thought I would catch Lady Bridgerton at the Bridgerton House,"
she said, "but there were no wisteria or carriages to be seen."
