Who was Marc Pilcher? 'Bridgerton' episode dedication explained

Bridgerton fans have been delighted to see the return of the Netflix period drama which debuted season two yesterday, but many were left wondering who the first episode was dedicated to.

Just before the credits rolled on episode one of the new season, titled Capital R Rake, a tribute was aired for Marc Pilcher.

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For viewers wondering about his connection to the show, Pilcher was an Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated hair stylist and make-up artist who created some of Bridgerton's most iconic looks from the first season.

He died in October 2021 aged 53 after testing positive for COVID, just weeks after winning an Emmy for outstanding hairstyling on Bridgerton season one.

The Regency drama wasn't the only work Pilcher had been noticed for - he also got an Oscar nomination for his make-up and hairstyling on Mary Queen of Scots, which starred Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.

After he died, Nicola Coughlan who plays Penelope Featherington on Bridgerton tweeted: "So heartbroken by the loss of Marc Pilcher, the brilliant and visionary hair and makeup designer for Bridgerton season one.

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"Marc was so passionate about his work and so tremendously talented. Not even a month ago he won his first Emmy award. It's a tragedy that he's been taken so young when he had so much yet to do."

Pilcher had also won an award for his work on the Downton Abbey film and other big name productions he styled the cast for included The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Beauty and the Beast, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Rogue One, W.E., My Week with Marilyn, and the TV series Cranford.

Season two of Bridgerton shifts the focus away from Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon (Rege-Jean Page), featuring Daphne's brother Anthony's (Jonathan Bailey) search for a wife.

Fans were disappointed at the news that Page would not return to the cast, but have been enjoying the new love story between Anthony and new character Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).

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