Bridgerton was the smash hit of 2020, with the world becoming obsessed with the love story between the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton.
The chemistry between actors Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dyvenor was electrifying, with the success of the Netflix series propelling them to international fame.
But before they were the Regency love affair we all aspired to replicate, both Phoebe and Regé-Jean had far humbler beginnings in their acting careers.
Yep, the pair first made their on-screen debuts in legendary BBC One school drama Waterloo Road.
Phoebe first appeared in 2009 of the show when she was just a teenager herself, playing Siobhan – who had joined the troubled school after it was merged with her upmarket private school, John Fosters.
Rege-Jean joined the series long after Phoebe left as the gorgeous design teacher Guy Braxton. Becoming part of the staff after the school migrated to Scotland (don’t ask) in 2015, Guy was an NQT who had a lot to prove against teachers who thought he wasn’t fully qualified.
Naturally, fans were stunned that both the Bridgerton leads starred in such an iconic programme before their hey-day, taking to Twitter to express their surprise.
“Just finding out that both Phoebe Dynevor and Regé Jean Page were both on Waterloo Road omg this is a sign I need to rewatch that show!” gasped one fan.
“I just realised why I felt some familiarity towards Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page when watching them in Bridgerton. They both appeared in Waterloo Road too, G really is for growth!” said a second.
“Daphne Bridgerton and The Duke were in Waterloo Road together?!” added a third bemused fan.
And a fourth chipped in: “Why did I only just find out both Daphne and Simon from Bridgerton were in Waterloo Road?”
For those of us who were fans of Waterloo Road, the show is returning to screens soon in a reboot.
Angela Griffin, Adam Thomas and Katie Griffiths are returning as Kim Campbell, Donte Charles and Chlo Charles respectively.
We cannot wait!
Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix. You can catch up on Waterloo Road on BBC iPlayer.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: Bridgerton, TV And Film, Netflix, BBC
Kimberley Bond