Georgian Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll: Unbuttoning Bridgerton
July 2025 •English
The fabulous wealthy elite of Bridgerton look perfectly preened, their teeth, hair, make up, even their sex scenes are all filled with opulent glamour! But in reality a lot of people in Georgian society, including the wealthy, were dealing with a myriad of issues, from syphilis, teeth decay, secret sex societies and scandals to opium and gin addictions. All of this would have been rife and incredibly visible on the big city streets during the booming industrial revolution.
This two-part series is a deep dive into the 'real' 18th century. Sex historian Dr Kate Lister removes Bridgerton’s rose-tinted glasses, unlaces the corsets and unbuttons the breaches of the Georgians. Join Kate as she investigates how sex, drugs and the world of celebrity were a big thing long before the 20th century.
