Nicola Coughlin and Luke Newton teased their upcoming on-screen romance at a Valentine’s Day “Bridgerton” fan event in London.
Coughlin plays Lady Penelope in the show while Newton is her longtime crush Colin Bridgerton. After two seasons of meaningful looks and crossed wires, the duo may finally get together in Season 3, which drops on Netflix in two parts later this year (May 16 and June 13).
“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,’” Coughlin said of some of their racier scenes. “But then we could talk about it and have a laugh about it and ended up quite fun.”
Newton pointed out that it’s not just Lady P and Colin who are getting hot and bothered in the ‘Ton, as the upscale society in the show is called. “It’s just steamy across the board,” said Newton. “There’s lots of people within the ‘Ton that are at it. It’s not just us!”
Jess Brownell, who takes over from Chris Van Dusen as showrunner on Season 3, said the blossoming romance between the couple was sure to appeal to viewers. “Colin and Penelope are underdogs in many ways,” Brownell said. “You have Penelope who’s the perennial wallflower, and you have Colin who’s the third son that hasn’t quite found himself. And you get to see these characters step into their power this year, which I think will make a lot of people who’ve ever had an unrequited crush or felt like an underdog feel very seen.”
Rhimes, who was also at the fan event alongside many of the cast, said she was excited for viewers to get to watch characters they already know begin a romantic relationship. “Usually we’re meeting a new person who’s falling in love with one of our regulars,” said Rhimes. “This time we know the people who are falling in love. We’re already rooting for them because we already know them and I’m excited for that.”
Author Julia Quinn, who wrote the “Bridgerton” novels on which the show is based, said she thought doing a “friends to lovers story” worked particularly well for the characters. “I’m excited for that because I feel like we don’t see that quite so much on television. And having seen a little peek myself I can tell you it’s done really, really well.”
While the cast and creative team are thrilled with the audience response to “Bridgerton,” Rhimes acknowledged they can’t always appease everyone. “I always think we’re doing well when fans write to me their demands,” she said. “I love that because it means they’re seriously invested. It also speaks to how great the writing and the performances are, so to me that’s always when I know we’re doing well when people are angry and have a lot to say.”
Brownell also pointed out that most of the season has been shot by the time it’s announced, meaning it’s too late to incorporate any input from the fans. But she did tease that, for those who love Quinn’s source material, “there’s an easter egg in almost every episode.”
Coughlin added that after viewers had begged for a scene in which she calls Colin “Mr. Bridgerton” rather than his first name, Brownell agreed to incorporate it. Quinn also revealed that a fan-favorite scene in which Penelope tends to Colin’s hand after he accidentally cuts it has survived the screen adaptation.
While Rhimes is already prepping for Season 4, she declined to reveal who the next romantic leads are set to be. When asked whether the creative team had an idea of who would be the focus, she replied: “We do, but we’re not going to tell you!”
