Bridgerton Season 3: Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton will return as Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton
Liam Daniel/Netflix
The Bridgerton Season 3 release date is the talk of ‘the ton’. Fans of the show – which broke its own record with Season 2 to become the most-watched English-language series on Netflix – were delighted at the news that it's been green-lit for a third and fourth season, but the question lingers: when?
Fortunately, there has been positive news for those eagerly awaiting the return of the Bridgertons et. al. According to Hello!, a crew member shared a tweet revealing filming had wrapped. Cast members also appear to have been letting loose at a wrap party, meaning the latest instalment is in post-production and there might only be a few months to go. Huzzah!
Until then, fans can content themselves with Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the first spin-off from the series, which will chronicle the life of one of the series’ best-loved characters, and is set to premiere on 4 May. Can’t wait until then? Satisfy your craving for Regency news with all the latest on Season 3.
What is the plot of Bridgerton Season 3?
Season 1 was based on the first of the Bridgerton books, The Duke and I, and followed Daphne Bridgerton's dalliance with the Duke of Hastings; before Season 2 drew from the next novel in the series, The Viscount and I, about the eldest of the siblings, Viscount Bridgerton, and his will-they-won't-they romance with Kate Sharma. Fans had expected the formula to continue for the next series, with the book An Offer from a Gentleman zoning in on the love life of Benedict Bridgerton.
Jonathan Bailey as Viscount Bridgerton and Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma
LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
A post to the Bridgerton social media later dispelled the idea, with a message in the voice of Lady Whistledown, reading: ‘Dearest Readers, It is only fair that in this author’s third year chronicling the marriage mart, Mayfair’s social season should find its focus on a third son… as well as a third daughter. This author can confirm that he upcoming season will focus on none other than the budding relationship between Mr Colin Bridgerton and one Miss Penelope Featherington. With Penelope’s days as a wallflower wearing thin, will she finally take bloom? Time will tell, and as always, so will this author.’ The announcement is signed: ‘Yours truly, Lady Whistledown.’
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
Liam Daniel/ Netflix/ THA
Played by Nicola Coughlan, Penelope Featherington is a fan favourite in both the books and small-screen adaptation. And of course, she’s also (spoiler alert) the show’s anonymous letter-writer Lady Whistledown, which means it will be interesting to see how her position at the centre of the action will impact her role as the gossip-mongering narrator. Colin Bridgerton, meanwhile, portrayed by Luke Newton, has so far been Penelope’s close friend, yet she’s ever-more tortured by her romantic feelings for him.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Jess Brownell, who is taking over from showrunner Chris Van Dusen for the upcoming series, told Variety: ‘I really feel like it’s Colin and Penelope’s time. Because we’ve been watching both of these actors on our screens since Season 1, we’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people… there are these moments of tension between them where it’s like, Colin walks up to the line of almost realising that Penelope has feelings for him but doesn’t quite get there. Instead of treading water on that dynamic, we wanted to push it into their season. It really felt like the perfect moment to tee it up.’
While the show doesn’t follow the plot of the books to the letter, in Romancing Mister Bridgerton, the fourth novel in the series, Colin finally starts to view his little sister’s best friend in a new light – just as she discovers an unexpected secret about him. And of course, Penelope has plenty of secrets of her own, meaning a romantic union between the two is never going to be straightforward.
There will also be lots of bedroom action. In an interview for E! News at Time100's Next Gala, Simone Ashley revealed that the next chapter will ‘get super steamy’, adding that it would be ‘condensation central’. Bridgerton is well known for its romantic content, frequently including racy scenes between love interests.
Cast of Bridgerton
bridgertonnetflix/instagram
Will the same cast return for Bridgerton Season 3?
Loyal watchers of the series will be devastated to learn that one major character isn’t returning for the third instalment: Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, wife of the dashing duke played by Regé-Jean Page.
‘Well I did my two seasons,’ Dynevor told Variety. ‘I’ve done what I wanted to do with that character and she had a great arc. If they ask me back in the future, who knows?’ It perhaps makes sense for her character’s storyline, given Page had bowed out ahead of Season 2
0 Comments