Simone Ashley hopes to reprise her Bridgerton role in season 4 with Jonathan Bailey

Actor Simone Ashley, who plays Kate Sharma in Bridgerton, says she hopes she and co-star Jonathan Bailey get an opportunity to return for season four of the popular Netflix series.

In the third season of the period drama, Ashley and Bailey reprised their characters Kate and Viscount Anthony Bridgerton. Kate and Anthony, now married and set to welcome their first child, were at the centre of Bridgerton season two.

"I really hope so," Ashley said of reprising their roles in the fourth season.

"Both Johnny and I, we adore our characters, Kate and Anthony, so much and their relationship and what they mean for the show. I think we'll do all we can with our schedules to make it work so that we can, hopefully," she told People magazine.

At the end of Bridgerton season three, Kate and Anthony were shown talking about leaving for the former's native India from London to welcome the baby.

The first part of the series' third installment premiered on May 16, followed by its second part on June 13.

The latest season of "Bridgerton" followed the friends-to-lovers romance of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, played by Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton. It also stars Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson, Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Hannah Dodd, Jessica Madsen, Martins Imhangbe, Emma Naomi, and Daniel Francis.