Who is Brian Nickels from 'Bridgerton'? The sad story behind the show's tribute

We are obsessed with Bridgeton—from the hilarious Bridgerton memes that have popped up to the Bridgerton cast that we follow on social media, we want to know everything about the hit show. And there's one question that a lot of us have pondered following the season-one finale. 

For those of us who have already finished Bridgerton (and are anxiously awaiting the premiere of Bridgerton season 2), you may have wondered who was the man to whom they dedicated the final episode of season one. 

At the end of the season finale of Bridgerton, before the credits, the screen reads ‘In loving memory of Brian Nickels.’ Here's what to know about him. 

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Who is Brian Nickels from 'Bridgerton'?

The message included at the end of the season-one finale was in memoriam of the stunt coordinator Brian Nickels, who died in January 2020 due to a cardiac arrest. 

Nickels was a popular member of the cast and crew, and the show decided to honor his memory by dedicating the first season of the show to him. 

As a former boxer, he assisted with stunt coordination in the Bridgerton boxing scenes between series star Regé-Jean Page and Martins Imhangbe, who plays Will Mondrich.

Imhangbe worked closely with Nickels and expressed the sadness of his passing in an Instagram post: "Brian, immensely grateful that our paths crossed and for the dynamic and positive impact you’ve had in my life for the past months - you’ve always had my corner and filled me with uber confidence on and off set with your infectious enthusiasm and passion for what you do - you’ve been an incredible coach and friend." 

"Struggling to accept that you’re no longer here with us and my heart goes out to the family. You are a legend and a gent who will never be forgotten - rest in love and peace," he added.

Nickels’ wife Simone, who worked alongside her husband, told Yahoo Movies UK (opens in new tab): “He was one of the hardest working men ever. He lived to make other people happy. It's all he wanted to do. He didn't take any day for granted. Every day he had, he lived it to the fullest.” Nickels is survived by his wife Simone and his two young children, Sienna and Rocco.

Nickels was a well-known stuntman and has been credited for many famous films and television shows. 

He made one of his first appearances in the James Bond 1997 classic film Tomorrow Never Dies. He later appeared in later Bond movies starring Daniel Craig in Spectre and Skyfall. 

He also worked on action-packed movies in the Marvel cinematic universe such as Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The First Avenger and Guardians of the Galaxy.