Nicola Coughlan Reveals 'Bridgerton' Season 3 Will Focus on Penelope and Colin's Love Story

Dearest reader, there's some Bridgerton news -- from Lady Whistledown herself. 

Except fans don't have to wait for Whistledown's society papers to find out. Instead, star Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington, spilled the tea on her own character on Sunday during the Bridgerton FYSEE panel. 

“Like Lady Whistledown, I have been keeping a secret for quite some time and I can confirm to you all that season 3 is Colin and Penelope’s love story," she shared with the audience. "I have kept that secret since two weeks into season 2. This is the first time I am saying it here.” 

While a release date has not yet been announced, Netflix further confirmed that the series will return to production this summer in London. 

Executive producer Shonda Rhimes echoed the big news in her Instagram post on Monday, telling fans, "Up next: Colin and Penelope 🐝 #bridgerton." She also shared a word from Lady Whistledown herself, who wrote, "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 the upcoming season shall follow 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."

Considering the two are not the focus of Julia Quinn's novels until her fourth, the show's departure from the book chronology is a welcome surprise for fans who have watched Penelope pine after Colin to no success. 

“I feel like if you see Penelope fawning over this boy for another season, you’ll be like, ‘Get it together! Come on, move on and get over it,’” Coughlan told Netflix.  

As for Luke Newton, the actor behind Colin, he's hoping to discover a new attribute for his character. “I'm hoping that he has sort of a more sensitive side to him,” he told Netflix “I love that we are exploring a relationship that so many people have had, where you form a friendship and you get to know each other down to the core. Then it sparks something from there.” 

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