One ‘Bridgerton’ Actor Was ‘Hugely Relieved’ To Keep His Shirt On In Season 2!

Season 2 of “Bridgerton” was less steamy than the series’ first season.

The second season of the Netflix period drama focused on the love match between Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). Although “Bridgerton” is known for its steamy scenes, there is one actor who is glad that he got to keep his shirt on throughout his one-season arc.

Actor Rupert Young sat down with Page Six to talk about how “relieved” he was that he didn’t have to take off his shirt in front of audiences.

Rupert Young, 43, plays the nefarious Lord Featherington in the show’s second season. When asked how he felt about not having any shirtless scenes in the series, he said, “I was very happy.”

He then joked, “I was slightly disappointed and also hugely relieved.” However, he noted that his friends and family members were probably more relieved than he was not to watch him strip down in front of the camera.

If anything, Young felt that he was wearing too many clothes – and way too many buttons – in his period costume.

“There were certain times of the day that it was quite frustrating,” he said of his buttons. “You can’t just quickly run out [for a bathroom break]; it’s a big operation. I know it was easier for men but it was still very tricky.” He later added, “The costumes are so phenomenal, you know, we look so great in them and they’re so beautifully made that you couldn’t really complain.”

Although some fans think that he has arrived to help the Featherington family, fans soon learn that he has nefarious intentions. “He keeps you on your toes,” Young teased. “That’s why it was great for me getting the scripts. I discovered that as the season went on as well. So I always knew that there was going to be a little twinkly dark side.”

Although Young was glad to keep his shirt on throughout the series, Calam Lynch, who plays printer’s assistant Theo Sharpe, was begging producers to let him take his shirt off in a separate interview with Page Six.

The “Dunkirk” star told the outlet that he was “so up for” going shirtless, but his hopes were never realized. “I work out anyway,” he explained. “So I was like, ‘Finally, there’s a reason. I can show the world.’”

He added, “I was pestering [executive producers] Tom [Verica] and Chris [Van Dusen] and everyone on set being like, ‘What do you think? Maybe Theo’s topless in this scene? Maybe he’s doing the printing but he’s topless.'”

Although he gave producers “any excuse for Theo to be topless in the show,” Lynch later admitted, “That certainly didn’t happen.”

Although his character almost shared a kiss with Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), it didn’t happen due to their differences in social classes. Even though it’s unlikely to happen, Lynch still has his fingers crossed.

When asked if he wanted Eloise and Theo to end up together, Lynch replied, “I hope they will.”

“I hope for Eloise’s sake they will because I think Theo would be fine because he’s come from difficulty, and while it would break his heart if they don’t end up together, I think he’d find a way to carry on,” he continued. “But I think Eloise needs to be challenged, especially in a romantic partner.”

There is no word on when season 3 of “Bridgerton” will be released, but the show's first two seasons are currently available to stream on Netflix.