Who Is Jonathan Bailey’s Partner? ‘Bridgerton’ Star Says He's Dating a 'Lovely Man'

The Duke of Hastings was all the rage in season one of Bridgerton, but sideburn king Anthony Bridgerton took the spotlight in the show’s second and third installments with his love interest Kate Sharma. Before millions of viewers watched as Penelope Featherington and Collin Bridgerton danced around a blossoming romance in season three, they devoured the entirety of season two, which follows the 9th Viscount Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, and his love triangle with two sisters.

Since then, the British-born actor has continued to win over audiences with his appearances in the steamy Showtime series Fellow Travelers—for which he received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at this year’s Emmys Awards—and the West End revival of Cock. Oh, and he will also portray Fiyero in both Wicked: Part One and Wicked: Part Two, which will premiere in theaters on Nov 22, 2024, and the second installment slated for Nov 26, 2025.

But with all these romantic roles to his name, inquiring minds (ahem, me) still want to know: Is Jonathan Bailey taken IRL? And if so, who is the actor’s partner? Well, I did some sleuthing à la Lady Whistledown and learned that the 36-year-old actor is indeed taken. Careful to avoid details, Bailey told The Standard that he is seeing a "lovely man" and that "it's not secret, but it's private."

Keep reading for details on Jonathan Bailey’s partner.

Bailey confirmed that he's currently in a relationship while speaking with The Standard in December 2023. However, he prefers to keep the details of his love life private.

According to the outlet, he didn't reveal a name, but Bailey did say that he's seeing “a lovely man.” He added, “Having a private life is, for me, completely critical. I don't know if I would be able to be as confident to speak out on other things if I felt that my whole life was up for grabs.”

Unfortunately, Bailey hasn’t shared details about his dating history. While speaking with GQ about his personal life, the actor explained why he originally hid his sexuality when breaking into Hollywood. He recalled overhearing a fellow actor being told, “[There are] two things we don't want to know: if you're an alcoholic or if you're gay.”

Bailey said, “All it takes is for one of those people in that position of power to say that, and it ripples through. So, yeah, of course I thought that. Of course, I thought that in order to be happy, I needed to be straight.”

He continued, “I reached a point where I thought, ‘F**k this.’ I'd much prefer to hold my boyfriend's hand in public or be able to put my own face picture on Tinder and not be so concerned about that than getting a part.”

Although Bailey and Bomer’s chemistry may be quite convincing on Fellow Travelers, that was all just acting (though this girl can dream).

Bomer has been married to publicist Simon Halls since 2011, and they've welcomed three children via surrogacy.

However, Bomer and Bailey appear to be friends based on their social media interactions. The White Collar actor is often seen commenting on Bailey’s posts, like this carousel, where the Bridgerton star showed off his tennis skills and Bomer commented, “That forehand!”

Single or not, the actor will reprise his role in the show’s fourth season. During an interview with GMA, Bailey revealed that he will be to the Regency-era drama, and I can only hope Simone Ashley (who portrays Bailey's on-screen love interest, Kate Sharma) will join him.

He said, “I have a couple of weeks etched out in my schedule for returning. I look forward to reading the scripts.”

As for how Benedict Bridgerton’s story will evolve, well that’s still under wraps for now. Like the rest of his fervent fans, I’ll just have to wait in anticipation, but the mystery doesn’t seem to bother Bailey. “The thing about Bridgerton, which is so brilliant, is that there’s so many different ways you can fall in love as humans and that’s what this show will explore,” Bailey said. “Obviously being the older brother, I’m going to be there to support the youngsters as we go.”