Marc Pilcher: who was Emmy-winning Bridgerton hair and makeup stylist in season 2 tribute - when did he die?

The first episode of the new series of Netflix period drama Bridgerton will be dedicated to Emmy-winning stylist, Marc Pilcher, it has been announced.

The new season is due to hit screens on  Friday 25 March, with an ‘In Memory of Marc Pilcher’ tribute set to appear on the credits of the episode.

But who was Marc Pilcher - and what was his role on the series? This is what you need to know.

Who was Marc Pilcher?

Marc Pilcher was a UK based film and television stylist who worked on a variety of productions from Mary Queen of Scots and Downton Abbey to Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker.

The 53-year-old sadly lost his life in October 2021 after contracting Covid..

Just three weeks prior to his death, Pilcher had flown to Los Angeles where he won a Creative Emmy for his work on Bridgerton.

He was the hair and makeup designer for season 1 of the show, ensuring all the period drama hair was perfect for the era.

Pilcher had also been nominated for an Oscar for his work in makeup and hairstyling on the film Mary Queen of Scots in 2019.

He started his career working in theatre and spent 15 years working in London’s West End on stage plays and musicals such as Company, Sunset Boulevard and Aspects of Love.

In the early 2000s, Pilcher moved into working in television and film productions as a hair stylist, makeup artist and stylist.

His agency, Curtis Brown, said that during this time he worked with a host of artists such as Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, Madonna and Helena Bonham Carter.

In 2016, Pilcher designed his first TV show, The Collection.

The programme ran for eight episodes on Amazon Prime and Pilcher took on the roles as hair designer, makeup designer and key hair stylist.

Curtis Brown released a statement to Variety announcing that the stylist was double vaccinated and had no underlying health conditions before his tragic death.

The agency also said that Pilcher had taken multiple tests throughout his trip to Los Angeles, but after returning to England, he fell ill and sadly passed away.

He left behind his family, friends and his beloved cockapoo, Yuri.

A statement from Pilcher’s friends and family via Curtis Brown read: “Glamorous and extravagant, he brought his flair and style to every design. Never limited in his thought process for his creations, he pushed boundaries and created work never realized before.”

Who paid tribute to Marc Pilcher?

Nicola Coughlan who plays Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton took to her instagram to pay tribute to the stylist.

In her post, she told her fans that “Marc was so passionate about his work and so tremendously talented.”

This post was then shared by fellow cast member Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, who added that she was “at a loss for words.”

Television producer Shonda Rhimes also shared her tribute to the stylist on Twitter, telling fans “I will forever be in awe of the incredible hairstyling and makeup work that he brought to Bridgerton.”

Marc Pilcher was an alumnus of UAL: London College of Fashion who paid tribute by saying “It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the recent passing of Marc Pilcher – LCF alumnus and friend of the college.”

As a friend of the college, Pilcher also took part in a podcast episode on Soundcloud talking about his career and time at LCF.

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