The background player staging a hostile takeover
While Luke Thompson is supposed to be the main event of Bridgerton Season , there is a serious distraction in the hallway. Oli Higginson, known to the Ton as Footman John, has suddenly graduated from holding silver trays to holding the audience’s hostage. Sources on set tell us that the frenzy surrounding Higginson has reached a boiling point, with production scrambling to give him more screen time as fans ignore the main romance.
It is a classic case of a background actor having too much raw charisma for his own good. Ever since he started trailing Eloise Bridgerton in Season , the internet has been obsessed. Now that the show has pivoted to the downstairs crew in Season , John is everywhere. Is this a calculated move by Netflix to fix a chemistry gap between the leads, or did Oli simply outshine everyone during the table reads?
The suspicious promotion of the downstairs crew
The latest season is loosely based on An Offer From a Gentleman, focusing on Benedict and the mysterious Sophie Baek. But for some reason, the camera keeps lingering on the help. John is now a central figure for Sophie as she navigates the Bridgerton household. Insiders claim that the shift in focus was a last-minute adjustment after early screenings showed that the audience was more invested in the servants than the high-society drama.
I came for the gowns, but I am staying for the hot footman. Why is he more interesting than the brothers?
This downstairs focus feels like a shady attempt to distract from the rumors of behind-the-scenes tension between the main cast members. By elevating a friendly face like John, the producers are playing a dangerous game with the established hierarchy of the show. If a footman becomes the breakout star, what does that say about the supposed leading man?
The musical alter ego and the quest for world domination
Oli Higginson is not just content with being a TV star; he has a secret side hustle that is raising eyebrows. Performing under the name Modern Oli, he is positioning himself as a multi-hyphenate artist. He told magazines in late that he wants to explore humanity through music and acting. We have seen this ambitious playbook before, and it usually involves a swift exit from the show that made them famous.
Is Footman John using his Bridgerton platform to launch a pop career? The timing is certainly convenient. With Season finally streaming as of January , the eyes of the world are on him, and he is making sure they see more than just a livery. Sources suggest he has been distributing demos on set, much to the annoyance of some higher-ups who want the focus kept on the period drama, not his synth-pop aspirations.
A marriage made in Hollywood heaven or PR heaven
Higginson has been married since to Meaghan Martin, a Disney Channel alum who starred in Camp Rock. This power couple has been flying under the radar for a decade, but with Oli’s sudden explosion in popularity, their personal lives are being picked apart. Meaghan has been a steady presence in the industry, and some wonder if her industry connections helped grease the wheels for Oli’s expanded role.
They seem too perfect. Is there a catch we are missing?
While the couple appears solid, the pressure of a sudden meteoric rise has broken stronger unions in Hollywood. Paparazzi have been trailing them across London, looking for any sign of friction as Oli deals with his new status as a certified heartthrob. The fans are already digging through their old social media posts, looking for any scrap of evidence that the footman life is getting to his head.
The training ground of a future leading man
Before he was pouring tea for the Bridgertons, Higginson was a serious stage actor with a pedigree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has done Othello and American Psycho, which makes his servile role on Netflix feel like a bit of a waste to some theater snobs. The buzz in London is that Oli is already being eyed for major leading roles in rival productions once his contract with the Ton expires.
Our spies say he has been seen meeting with top-tier agents during the off-season. It is clear that the role of John was always meant to be a stepping stone. The question is, how much longer will he be willing to stand in the background while others get the glory? The aggressive pacing of his career trajectory suggests that Footman John might be handing in his resignation sooner than Netflix would like.
The Season finale cliffhanger and the fate of the footman
As the season progresses, John’s involvement with Sophie and the Bridgerton secrets is putting him in a precarious position. There are whispers that a major plot twist involves John discovering a secret that could shatter the Bridgerton reputation forever. Will he stay loyal to the family that pays his wages, or will he sell the story to a gossip rag for his own gain?
The tension is building, and the fans are divided. Some want him to find his own lady, while others think he should burn the whole house down. One thing is certain: Oli Higginson is no longer just a face in the crowd. As the awards season approaches, the speculation is rampant about his future. Will he return for Season , or has the hot footman officially outgrown his uniform?
The finale is rumored to have a scene that will change the power dynamics of the show forever. Whether John stays or goes, the Bridgerton house will never be the same. The real question is: who is actually in charge, the people upstairs or the man with the silver tray who knows where all the bodies are buried?
Would you like me to investigate the secret music videos Oli has been filming between scenes?
