‘Bridgerton’ Reunion! Nicola Coughlan Supports Luke Newton at His Play in London

Coughlan, 36, shared a sweet photo from the pair’s reunion on Instagram with an ode to Newton’s acting chops. “Smashing it up on the London stage and I’m so proud, you’re the best @lukenewtonuk,” she captioned the snap. 

Newton, 30, shared a pic of his own on his Instagram Story alongside the added caption, “reunited.”

Fans of the Bridgerton universe already know that Coughlan and Newton have played best friends on the series since season 1. And while things between them have remained strictly platonic, Coughlan’s character, Penelope Featherington, has retained a lifelong crush on Newton’s Colin Bridgerton.

Season 3 of the series is gearing up to explore a romance between the “just friends” as they both age into the ton’s marriage scene. 

Speaking of the upcoming season, Coughlan told PEOPLE that romance is the entire theme. “I always look at the three seasons like this. I think season 1 was about passion, season 2 was about longing and season 3, I think it’s romance all the way,” she said. “It’s just so romantic.”

That doesn’t mean Coughlan and Newton’s time on set was ultra-serious, though. They’ve been feeling strange about the potential of kissing each other since season 1. 

“And then season 3 comes on and we were like, ‘Oh God,’ and then it’s like, it’s my friend. I have to kiss my friend,” she recalled to Entertainment Tonight.

“Oh my God, there was one day where we had to sort of do like a very romantic, beautifully written romantic scene,” she continued to recall. “And we were just like peeing ourselves with laughter, ’cause you just have to, like, look into each other’s eyes and we were like, ‘Oh God.’”

There isn’t an official release date for Bridgerton season 3 just yet. For now, fans can catch up on Bridgerton seasons 1 and 2, as well as spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, on Netflix.