“Bridgerton” is back for Season 3!
The third season of the hit Netflix series will focus on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) finding romance with longtime pal Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). The “will they, won’t they” dynamic will further be explored as Penelope (aka Lady Whistledown) reports on the fresh faces in Regency England, including new cast members Daniel Francis as charismatic womanizer Marcus Anderson, Sam Phillips as eccentric Lord Debling, and James Phoon as simple bachelor Harry Dankworth.
A new video released as part of Netflix’s Tudum fan event shows Luke Newton and Claudia Jessie, who play Colin and Eloise Bridgerton, attempting to paint portraits of each other as they discuss the upcoming third season of the show. They’re also visited by Nicola Coughlan, who gives a sneak preview of Lady Whistledown’s next column.
And it’s not just new faces in front of the camera, but also behind: Jess Brownell takes over as showrunner, and explained that it’s certainly been time to see more of the budding #Polin love story front and center.
“We’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people,” Brownell said earlier this year. “I feel like, especially in the last season, there are these moments of tension between them where it’s like, Colin walks up to the line of almost realizing 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.”
The official Season 3 logline reads: “‘Bridgerton’ is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly.”
The season synopsis continues, “Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly. Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope’s growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.” Season 2 love interest Simone Ashley will return as Kate, or as she’s best known as, the future Mrs. Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).
“Kate and Anthony are just getting started,” Ashley teased. “Season 2 there was a lot of push and pull between Kate and Anthony, there were complications with the family, and then they find each other towards the end. I think everything is just starting. I’d like to see Kate just let go a bit more and play more in Season 3 and kind of swim in that circle of love together. I think they both deserve it.”
Ashley added that she is “excited” for Kate to have a family with Anthony. “I think I’d like to see Kate being much braver and less headstrong and more heart strong,” Ashley hinted.
The seductively salacious first look certainly promises more love triangles, weddings, and unrequited romances. For all the details on “Bridgerton” Season 3, click here.
