A Bridgerton-themed ball has been slammed as an absolute disaster (Picture: Netflix/ Everett/ Shutterstock)
Bridgerton fans were left fuming after an event they paid up to £750 to attend was deemed a ‘horror’ resembling the infamous Willy Wonka Experience.
Since premiering in 2020, the Netflix period drama has become one of the most popular shows on the planet, picking up plenty of awards along the way.
Earlier this year the third season starring Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton was released, with the steamy drama quickly breaking viewing records.
Attempting to capitalise off the show’s popularity, an events company in the United States held a ‘Bridgerton Themed ball’ in Detroit over the weekend.
The event was billed as a chance for fans to ‘step into the enchanting world of the Regency-era… for an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm’.
Tickets for the ball cost a minimum of $150 (£112) but some fans spent up to $1,000 (£750) on the Duke and Duchess option, which was meant to come with dinner, orchestra music, a professional dance card, professional photos and a valet.
The Bridgerton Ball in Michigan was held over the weekend (Picture: rayleearts/X)
Many guests were left underwhelmed by the event (Picture: moreofnita/ TikTok)
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Others spent hundreds of dollars more on ball gowns, flights to Detroit and accommodation.
However, when they arrived at the venue – the Harmonie Club – they quickly realised they were unlikely to be treated like royalty.
Instead, guests were greeted with cheap décor, a lone violinist and a scantily-clad pole-dancing stripper who later revealed she was hired just a few hours before the event.
Photos of the event that circulated on social media also showed attendees looking less than impressed, with women sitting on the floor in their ballgowns scrolling their phones (chairs were reserved for VIPs).
They weren’t happy with the set-up (Picture: moreofnita/ TikTok)
The food was accused of being ‘raw’ (Picture: WXYZ Channel 7)
Many have shared their experience on social media, with one saying she ‘hadn’t even walked into’ The Harmonie Club when she saw more than 60 people leaving.
The only performance of the night came from the woman pole dancing in a red bikini, which many pointed out was not an act ever seen in the Regency-era series.
Guests were also let down by the food and drink, some of which ‘ran out or was raw’, while they were also left having to clean up their own plates despite being promised a sit-down dinner for VIPs.
A best-dressed competition for a cash prize also never happened, as well as plans for an award being handed out for Diamond of the Season as they do in the series,
There was a single musician hired to play (Picture: moreofnita/ TikTok)
Speaking to news crews who were called to the event by guests, one called it ‘complete chaos’.
Another person claimed people were sitting on the floor eating KitKats.
Organised by event Uncle & Me LLC, the Bridgerton ball was initially scheduled for late August but was rescheduled just three days before, which came after many had already spent a significant amount on flights and accommodation.
The company claimed the original venue was too small to accommodate the guests after the event sold out, however it was allegedly actually due to the fact it failed to pay the remainder of money needed to rent out the space.
Unsurprisingly, many have drawn comparisons to last year’s ‘fiasco’ Willy Wonka event in Glasgow, as well as the infamous Fyre festival.
Many were left taken aback by a pole dancer performing at the Regency-era event(Picture: rayleearts/X)
The pole dancer, an acrobat called Tink, also shared her opinion of the event online, calling it a ‘horror story’ and explaining how she was ‘completely awestruck seeing everything that happened’.
‘I just feel very bad for all the patrons who showed up to the event, just because my goal as a performer is to bring happiness and cheers to everyone,’ she said.
‘So, it kind of just bummed me out knowing everyone was so unhappy with the outcome.’
The event was not licensed or sponsored by Netflix, which hosts its own touring event called The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.
There was an actress hired to dress up as Queen Charlotte (Picture: moreofnita/ TikTok)
Responding to the criticism, a representative from Uncle & Me LLC told local news station WXYZ: ‘We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club and for that, we sincerely apologise.
‘Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organisational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests. We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings.’
They continued: ‘Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve. Your feedback is invaluable and we truly appreciate both the positive and constructive comments shared with us.’
The representative then said the company was ‘reviewing resolution options’ and they were ‘committed to doing everything in our power to make this right’.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Uncle & Me LLC for comment.
Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix.
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