This is the REAL reason Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey had makeup applied to his butt

Spoiler alert: Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey had makeup applied to his butt for THAT infamous first sex scene. 

Just when we thought we'd reach peak Bridgerton mania, Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton, shared a picture on social media showing a makeup artist applying products to his derriere. 

When quizzed about the snap by Lorraine Kelly on her UK talk show Lorraine, Bailey tactfully batted the question away, putting the incident down to simply reducing shine on his bottom.

"Can we talk briefly about bottoms?" asked Kelly.

"Now we showed this photograph ..." before an image flashed on-screen showing a make-up artist applying what looks like their best foundation and maybe concealer (opens in new tab) to the actors's derriere as he stood on-set with his trousers down.

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Kelly quipped: "Now that's got to be one of the best jobs in the world - that's the wee lady who is, I think they call it 'fluffing' - is that what they do?"

Jonathan replied: "I don't know what they call it Lorraine - I think they call it ice breaking!" Before he added: "But there is a moment when they say 'can we lower the britches' and when I lowered them they were like 'can we call in make-up?'...But luckily it was just to shine the botty."

A case of 'Regencycore' (opens in new tab)? Actually no. But Grazia UK has revealed that there was more to it than that. 

After interviewing Bridgerton's make-up and hair designer Marc Pilcher and hair and makeup supervisor Lynda Pearce, it turns out that the makeup department were actually called in that day to deal with a very visible Speedo tan line. Obviously not an accessory that a Regency-era Viscount would be sporting.

So now you know...