Bridgerton showrunners ‘are stopped by locals from building set at Sunninghill Park’

Bridgerton showrunners have reportedly been stopped from building a set at Sunninghill Park for the Netflix hit’s third and fourth seasons.

According to reports on Wednesday, producers were hoping to use land at Prince Andrew’s former Berkshire home to stand in for Georgian London, and had already made plans for how the set would be built.

It was claimed production firm Shondaland wanted to build two fictional mansions on the five-acre estate, and they were hoping to also make a shopping arcade, tea house and back alley.

Reports also claimed the set was going to be used for five years to film society scenes for the hugely-popular show, but after complaints from locals producers were forced back to the drawing board.

Speaking to The Sun, a source claimed: ‘This is a headache for the producers because finding the perfect spot to film isn’t always easy and they had drawn up extensive plans to build on the site.

‘The idea was to create sets for grand houses and halls that feature in Bridgerton, which takes place in early-1800s London.

‘Fortunately, with series two now well under way, this would have been a location for series three and four, so they still have some breathing space.’ 

MailOnline has contacted Netflix spokespeople for further comment.

The £15million mansion had been handed to Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson by the Queen as a wedding gift. 

The Queen had the original house built for them as a present for their 1986 wedding and it was nicknamed  SouthYork because it resembled Southfork, the ranch-house in TV’s Dallas, when it was completed in 1990.

Prince Andrew moved out of the 12-bedroom property after their 1996 divorce but Fergie, Beatrice and Eugenie stayed at the house close to Windsor Castle for another decade. 

Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev then paid Andrew £3million over his £12million asking price in 2007 despite the grand home being on the market for five years.

Mr Kulibayev, a billionaire oil magnate and the son-in-law of the Kazakh President, left Sunninghill Park untouched and decrepit until 2015 when he demolished it.

In 2018 it was reported the businessman had started to create his own ‘manor house’ over a third larger than the original, and in August last year The Mail On Sunday claimed the property was near completion.

Bridgerton has been renewed for a second, third and fourth season with Netflix, and the next season is based on Julia Quinn’s second Bridgerton novel The Viscount Who Loved Me.

The book sees Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) go on the hunt for a suitable bride when he meets Kate and Edwina Sheffield, renamed Sharma for the show.

While he tries to pursue Edwina he finds himself becoming attracted to Kate instead, despite the fact they are often at odds with each other. 

Simone Ashley was announced to be playing Kate, and her character’s surname has been altered to reflect Simone’s South-Asian background.

The show has been praised for mixing up tired casting, and featuring BAME cast members in prominent societal roles such as Regé-Jean as the Duke of Hastings, Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte, and Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury.

Fans were left shocked recently when breakout star Page, 31, revealed he wouldn’t be reprising his role as the Duke of Hastings in the groundbreaking period drama.