Once again, the talk of the town is Bridgerton – and for good reason. Ahead of the third instalment of the period drama landing in May, the cast and crew sat down for a fan event that teased some upcoming details of the much-anticipated season three.
Where seasons one and two of the hit show focused on the Bridgerton siblings and their respective romances with various newcomers to Regency-era London, season three is set to give more airtime to the blossoming connection between characters Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).
The two actors are good mates in real life, which made the prospect of filming raunchy scenes together feel a little weird. “It was scary that we were friends to begin with, because if you thought about doing that stuff with your friend it’s quite like ‘Ooh,’” Coughlan explained of their more romantic moments on screen. “But then we could talk about it and have a laugh about it and ended up quite fun.”
“It’s just steamy across the board,” Newton added. “There’s lots of people within the ‘Ton that are at it,” he hinted. “It’s not just us!”
The plot, which is based on the fourth Julia Quinn novel Romancing Mr Bridgerton, follows Penelope’s pursuit of marriage having fallen out with her former best friend Eloise (Claudia Jessie). At a loss for what to do, she asks her unrequited crush Colin for some advice about finding a husband, and from here, a friends-to-lovers plot arc commences.
“I’m excited for that because I feel like we don’t see that [dynamic] quite so much on television,” the books’ author Julia Quinn told the panel. “And having seen a little peek myself I can tell you it’s done really, really well.”
"Colin and Penelope are underdogs in many ways," showrunner Jess Brownell added. "You have Penelope, the perennial wallflower, and you have Colin, who's the third son, who hasn't quite found himself, and we get to see these characters step into their power this year. They'll make a lot of people who've ever had an unrequited crush or felt like an underdog before feel very seen."
There are also some treats in store for Peneloise fans (the nickname given to the friendship between Penelope and Eloise). Though they’re on rocky ground at the moment, showrunner Shonda Rhimes teased that their fractured relationship was the “second love story” of the upcoming season three.
"I think Eloise has still got a love for Penelope, and [it’s] this huge thing, [she’s between] a rock and a hard place," Claudia Jessie explained.
Brownell also teased the show’s upcoming episode titles: Out of the Shadows, How Bright the Moon, Forces of Nature, Old Friends, Tick Tock, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Joining of Hands and Into the Light. And for fans of Julia Quinn’s work, it was confirmed that a beloved scene from the original book – where Penelope wraps Colin’s hand with bandage after he cuts it – made it into the show too.
With filming for season three now wrapped, showrunners are already gearing up for season four, which will no doubt focus on a new Bridgerton sibling and their own quest for love. Do the team have anybody in mind? “We do!” Rhimes teased. “But we’re not going to tell you.”
