Lady Whistledown prepare yourself because today we are joined by Queen Charlotte star, Sam Clemmett, who is bringing the first queer character to the Bridgerton universe and we love to see it!  I am obsessed with Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton prequel series which follows the love story between the young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) and King George (Corey Mylchreest). Not only did it spark a true love story, it created the societal shift that shaped the Ton and also was the backdrop to another love story between Sam’s character and the King’s butler, Reynolds (Freddie Dennis).  On this episode, Sam shares how special it was to bring the first queer love story to the Bridgertonverse, and I really applaud Sam for being willing to talk openly about the debate around whether straight actors should be cast in queer roles.  We also talk about filming the show’s sex scenes, and what working with the intimacy co-ordinator actually entailed, and of course I asked all about the star of Queen Charlotte… the dog, Pom Pom.  Sam also tells me about originating the role of Albus Potter in the mega blockbuster theatre show, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, on both the West End and Broadway, and he has some great advice for dealing with rejection and seeking therapy in the wake of the pandemic.  I have SO much admiration for how Sam brings Brimsely to life on screen, and we even get to talk about my favourite Bridgerton scene ever: the dancing sequence between Brimsely and Reynolds at the King and Queen’s ball. And if you are dancing or hiding a love in the shadows I hope this episode inspires you to live your truth openly.  If you love this episode too, get it touch, I LOVE a chat with you. I’m @JoshSmithHosts on socials. And don’t forget you can catch some of the video highlights from this episode over on my YouTube channel, just search Reign with Josh Smith.  Josh xx P.S As someone who is always thirsty and loves to hydrate, I am so excited that this episode is brought to you in partnership with Air Up. Air Up is a water bottle that flavours ordinary water with scent. You just put plain water into the Air Up bottle, slot your chosen ‘flavour pod’ around the straw at the top of the bottle and as you sip through the straw, the smell of the pod tricks your brain into thinking it’s flavoured. There’s no sugar, no sweeteners, no nothing, just plain water and the power of scent!The flavour pods trick your brain into thinking the water is flavoured without any sugar, sweeteners or additives involved - it’s just plain water and scent!  There are so many flavour pods to choose from too, my current fave is Wild Berry but there’s something for everyone from Cola to Mango & Passionfruit and Watermelon. The bottles are super cute, too and come in a range of styles, colours and sizes, You can check out the full range of bottles, pods and accessories at air-up.co.uk and you get 10% off full priced items using my code REIGN at the checkout. Hydration just got more EXCITING babes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices