Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey announces temporary exit from acting

Jonathan Bailey is widely admired for his roles in Bridgerton and the upcoming Wicked. The actor recently revealed that he will be stepping away from acting in 2026 to devote his time and energy to his charity, The Shameless Fund. He also explained that his decision to pause the acting career in favor of a cause close to his heart.

Jonathan Bailey steps back from acting

“I've been working solidly for about three years now, which has been amazing and mind-blowing. But with everything happening in the world right now, I'm going to stop acting for a bit next year and just focus on the Shameless Fund. Over the next few months, I'll be focusing on staffing and making sure we get all the right people in all the right places,” the actor shared.

The Shameless Fund was founded by Jonathan Bailey itself. It is designed to raise money for LGBTQ+ rights and support organizations through creative collaborations and brand partnerships. Even during his recent press tour, the actor has been promoting the initiative with the launch of pink shades in partnership with British eyewear brand Cubitts.

He also highlighted the urgent need for greater support and noted the funding gap faced by LGBTQ+ communities. “There's this statistic: out of every £100 raised in the UK, only 1p goes to the LGBTQ+ community. You really have to dig to find solutions, and I genuinely think The Shameless Fund is exactly that. That's why this collaboration with Cubitts has been so amazing. Not only is it fun and creative, it can also make a real difference,” he said.

The project has already received strong backing from celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and Cynthia Erivo. With Jonathan Bailey’s full focus shifting toward the fund in 2026, he hopes to build an impactful platform.

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