Netflix had some fantastic news for Bridgerton fans on Valentine’s Day. The main couple of this upcoming third season, Luke Newton (The Lodge, Lake Placid: Legacy, The Cut) and Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls, Barbie, Harlots), have participated in special fan event in London and have given new updates on their ‘Polin‘ storyline, Variety reports.
Newton is the charming yet sweet Colin Bridgerton, who is the man that Lady Penelope, played by Coughlin, has had a crush on since they met. But now, in the third season, after a long time of longing stares and meaningful conversations, the pair might begin a romantic relationship in the upcoming third season, which will be released in two parts: the first on May 16 and the second on Jun. 13, via Variety.
“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 explained while filming spicier scenes, via Variety. “But then we could talk about it and have a laugh about it and ended up quite fun.”
Her co-star Newton agreed with Coughlin, as he stated that their characters are not the only ones that have spicier scenes in this upcoming season. “It’s just steamy across the board,” Newton explained, via Variety. “There’s lots of people within the ‘Ton that are at it. It’s not just us!”
Jess Brownell (Inventing Anna, Scandal), the new showrunner of this upcoming season, stated that the romance of ‘Polin’ will make the viewers and fans of the original novel very satisfied. “Colin and Penelope are underdogs in many ways,” Brownell explained, via Variety. “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.”
Executive producer Shonda Rhimes (Scandal, Station 19, Private Practice) was at the fan-event also, and explained that she was ecstatic for the viewers to see how this relationship will bloom. “Usually we’re meeting a new person who’s falling in love with one of our regulars,” stated Rhimes via Variety. “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.”
Julia Quinn (Because of Miss Bridgerton, The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband, The Other Miss Bridgerton), the writer who created the actual Bridgerton novels, which based the actual Netflix series, stated that this “friends to lovers story” has worked pretty well so far for these two beloved 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,” Quinn stated via Variety.
Rhimes chimed in, stating that some viewers aren’t happy with some changes they added from the previous novel material. “I always think we’re doing well when fans write to me their demands,” the creator of the show explained, via Variety. “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.”
According to Variety, Brownell agreed with Rhimes, but added the fact that the upcoming season has now almost completed filming, so now it’s way too late to add scenes from the book that fans asked. Although, she was able to tease that, for fans of the novels, “there’s an easter egg in almost every episode.”
Brownell and Coughlin added a fun fact for the upcoming season, according to Variety. There is a scene from the original book that fans had begged to be added, in which she names Colin “Mr. Bridgerton” by mistake, rather than calling him by his first name. Now it has been confirmed that it will be in season three. Furthermore, Quinn has stated that another scene from the book, in which Colin’s hand gets bandaged by Penelope after an accident, has been added also.
As the crew and Rhimes herself are preparing to create the next fourth season, she has not been adamant in revealing which couple’s storyline will be the main focus in season four. When Variety asked her about it, she stated: “We do, but we’re not going to tell you!”
The first two seasons of Bridgerton are available on Netflix for streaming, and the two parts of the third season, as stated beforehand, will be released separately, on May 16 and Jun. 13.