Bridgerton boom: Romantic shoppers chasing TV merchandise boost business by £275 million

Hit TV romance series Bridgerton has boosted the UK economy by £275 million over the course of five years, Netflix has claimed. The streaming website says the Regency-style drama, which premiered the final half of its third series on Thursday and was produced by the company Shondaland, has supported 5,000 local businesses over the past five years.

Shondaland chief executive Shonda Rhimes will open trading at London Stock Exchange on Friday to celebrate the figures.

The 54-year-old said: “The Bridgerton universe occupies a special space in culture, resonating with young and old alike, creating conversation, starting trends and influencing everything from baby names to weddings.

“The shows have also had a seismic impact on the UK economy, boosting it by a quarter of a billion pounds over the last five years and supporting thousands of jobs and businesses.

“It is clear that the business of art and culture can make a huge economic contribution to local communities. I could not be prouder.”

The figure was calculated in-house by Netflix and includes direct and indirect spending, the PA news agency understands, through money spent with other companies and them buying things to make for the production.

The figure does not include other benefits from Bridgerton such as increased employee earnings or themed-events and activities around the TV show such as a high tea experience, themed tours and tourism or any shop selling merchandise.

Anna Mallett, vice president of EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) production at Netflix, said: “The Bridgerton universe is another example of Shonda Rhimes’ genius as a storyteller and her global influence.

“We’re so excited about the part we’ve played in bringing these stories to the world.

“As well as an economic boost, the shows have had a huge cultural impact.

“The UK is our home and this is one part of our huge investment in creating stories our members will love.”

Julia Hoggett, chief executive, London Stock Exchange plc, said she was “thrilled to celebrate the significant economic and cultural impact” of the film and creative industries in the UK.

Part two of Bridgerton season three is available to stream on Netflix.