Jonathan Bailey's journey from rural Oxfordshire to Heartstopper cameo and Bridgerton fame

Jonathan Bailey, known to many as Lord Bridgerton, thrilled fans earlier this year with the announcement of his guest appearance on the popular drama Heartstopper.

The third series of Heartstopper, adapted from Alice Oseman's graphic novels bearing the same title, is scheduled for release on Netflix on October 3. In it, Bailey will portray Jack Maddox, an author famous on Instagram and the celebrity crush of main character Charlie Spring (Joe Locke).

As the 36 year old actor's return to our screens approaches, let's reacquaint ourselves with him.

Born and brought up in the countryside of Oxfordshire, Jonathan discovered his passion for acting during his childhood. He attributes his sisters' habit of dressing him up every Sunday as one of the factors that attracted him to the craft.

Before making his television debut, he launched his stage career at the tender age of seven. In 1995, he alternated between the roles of Tiny Tim and Young Scrooge in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of A Christmas Carol at the Barbican Theatre, reports the Mirror.

Since then, he has graced the stage in several major West End productions, including American Psycho: The Musical, Certain Young Men, and the Olivier Award-winning Company.

Away from the theatre, Jonathan has taken on a variety of roles on television, beginning with a part in the 1997 period drama Bramwell. Over ten years later, he secured a role in the highly praised ITV drama Broadchurch as aspiring journalist Olly Stevens, one of the actor's most notable roles.

Before his breakout role in Bridgerton, he appeared in various series. His early work includes a stint on Phoebe Waller-Bridge's comedy Crashing in 2016, where he portrayed a queer character named Sam.

He also made a guest appearance in Michaela Coel's Chewing Gum in 2017. Then came his role as Lord Anthony Bridgerton, the head of an aristocratic family in the hit series Bridgerton.

Post-Bridgerton, Jonathan has been involved in several projects, including the period drama Fellow Travellers. The show focuses on a love story between two gay men navigating their relationship amidst the social and political challenges of America from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Jonathan, when not in the limelight, has spoken candidly about being a gay actor. In a discussion with The Standard, he recounted a homophobic incident that occurred while filming Fellow Travellers and expressed his desire to keep his romantic life "private."

How did Jonathan land a role in Heartstopper?

Following the news that he would be joining the cast of Heartstopper for its third season, Jonathan expressed his admiration for the LGBTQ+ centric show. Speaking to journalist Marc Malkin, he said: "Like so many people, I watched the first series and thought it was one of the biggest, most beautiful gifts to so many people, and I wish I had that growing up."

He went on to say: "I had a mutual friend who knows [producer Patrick Walters] and I just said, if there's anything I could do to help and be a part of that story."

"It's not just for our community. It's for every person who is a member of a family who has a member of the LGBT+ community. It helps all of us."

Heartstopper Season 3 is available to stream on Netflix from October 3