Jonathan Bailey has revealed he’s such a fan of Heartstopper that he thinks it should be required viewing.
The Bridgerton star has made no secret of his love of Heartstopper in the past, to the point he engineered it that he made a cameo in its third season, which has been hailed by some critics as the show’s best.
“I sort of wedged myself into that part,” Jonathan admitted to Vanity Fair, revealing that he “was so moved by the series and also the graphic novel” that he ended up making it clear to the Heartstopper team that he wanted to appear in some capacity.
He added: “I love the cast. I think they’re brilliant. I remember seeing all of them speak to their own experiences and being like, My God, they’re so erudite and grounded and thoughtful and kind and compassionate in their answers.
“I would be really proud of myself if I could be a part of that as my younger self. Everyone above the age of 40 should be forced to watch it.”
Speaking to Variety about his then-upcoming Heartstopper cameo earlier this year, Jonathan said: “Like so many people I watched the first series and I just thought it was one of the biggest, most beautiful gifts to so many people. And I wished I’d had that growing up.”
He added that because he has a mutual friend with Heartstopper producer Patrick Walters, he was able to pass along a message which said: “If there’s anything I could do to help and be a part of that story…”
The British performer is currently on the promo trailer for the new Wicked movie, in which he stars opposite Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Fieryo.
While he’s primarily known for his on-screen roles in the likes of Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers and Broadchurch, Jonathan is also an established theatre actor, winning an Olivier for his supporting performance in the musical Company.