Tighten your corset – season three of Bridgerton is almost here.
The show has won a string of major award nominations to date, including the Grammys, Emmys and Screen Actors Guild.
Based on Julia Quinn’s eighth book series, the show focuses on the lives and loves of the Bridgerton family in Regency-era London.
Speaking about the new series, Nicola Coughlin, who plays Penelope Featherington, said that viewers could expect romance.
“The love scenes in this season are written so beautifully, and I keep trying to think about the different seasons and what these will feel like to watch.
“Season one was all about passion, season two was about longing, and I feel this season is so romantic. You see two people who are destined for each other finally realising that, and that’s just gorgeous,” she says.
“It eats away at her, it’s really difficult, more so than ever. She can’t hold this in forever.”
When will Bridgerton season 3 be released?
The latest instalment of the highly-anticipated period drama will drop in two batches of four episodes, with part one premiering on Netflix on 16 May and part two arriving a month later on 13 June.
With two years between seasons two and three, fans of the show have waited a long time for an update.
On the subject of the delay, executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers spoke to Variety about the time it takes to create a show like Bridgerton.
“There are a lot of characters, there are a lot of complications and it’s a very complex story to weave,” Beers said.
“The writing and the meticulousness of the process obviously takes time. And every single aspect of a show in this period takes more time.
“It’s a lot of costumes, it’s a lot of learning to dance, it’s a lot of weaving in old and new. It’s a gigantic kind of military puzzle.”
Rhimes added that Netflix’s methodology contributed to the delay: “They want to write everything, and then they want to shoot everything, which is – it’s very counterintuitive to the way I learned to make television.
“Now I think that’s just how it is. We’re really working on the idea of if this is the field we live in, then how do we make the field faster? And so we really are thinking about stuff such as permanent sets and lots, and things like that that will really help us speed the process up.”
Beers added: “It’s not a simple feat!”
Who is in the Bridgerton season 3 cast?
Many familiar faces from seasons one and two will be returning to season three of Bridgerton, along with some new characters.
Nichola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington)
Aside from her leading role in Bridgerton, Coughlan is best known for playing Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls.
More recently, she appeared in the Channel 4 series Big Mood alongside Lydia West (It’s a Sin) and played Diplomat Barbie in the 2023 hit film. She’s also been confirmed to appear in the 2024 Christmas special of Doctor Who.
Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
While Bridgerton is arguably Newton’s biggest role to date, viewers may also recognise him from the Disney Channel series The Lodge.
In 2013, he made his professional stage debut as an Elder Price understudy in the West End run of The Book of Mormon. He returned to the stage in the 2023 revival of The Shape of Things at the Park Theatre.
Sam Phillips (Lord Debling)
A new character for season three, Sam Phillips is best known for his role as the Queen’s Equerry, Stephen Chambers, in The Crown. He played the role from 2019-20 and won two SAG Awards for his efforts.
In addition to his TV roles, his theatre works includes the National Theatre production of The History Boys, Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe and Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic.
Hannah Dodd (Francesca Bridgerton)
Dodd is taking over from Ruby Stokes after she left the franchise for another Netflix project Lockwood & Co.
You may recognise Dodd from the TV show Harlots and films Eternals and Enola Holmes 2.
Daniel Francis (Marcus Anderson)
Classically trained, Anderson has appeared in The Brothers Size at the Young Vic, Off the Endz at the Royal Court and the stage adaptation of The Hounding of David Oluwale.
TV roles include Alexander McQueen’s Small Axe series (episode: Education), Once Upon a Time, EastEnders, Holby City and Law and Order: UK.
Other characters include:
- Jonathan Bailey as Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton
- Simone Ashley as Kathani “Kate” (née Sharma), Viscountess Bridgerton
- Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich
- Sam Phillips as Lord Debling
- Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
- Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton
- Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
- Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury
- Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper
- Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich
- Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich
- Bessie Carter as Prudence Featherington
- Harriet Cains as Philipa Featherington
- Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury
- James Bryan as Nicky Mondrich
- Ariella Warburton as Daisy Mondrich
- Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich
- Elias Amos as John Mondrich
Where was Bridgerton season 3 filmed?
Opulent National Trust properties feature prominently in season three of Bridgerton.
These include Basildon Park in Berkshire, Claydon House in Buckinghamshire and Osterley Park and House in London.
“We’re trying to broaden our locations, so that we aren’t going to the same old places every season,” locations manager Tony Hood said.
“So we were on the hunt looking for bigger places, instead of trying to make the same old places look a little bit different.”
Basildon Park sits in 400 acres of historic parkland, with spring bluebells, summer buttercups and autumn leaves. The 18th century house is home to fine furnishings and carefully selected Old Masters.
Often referred to as “an unexpected Georgian jewel”, Claydon House is “a fascinating testament to 18th century extravagance”. Its interiors include soaring double-height rooms packed with intricate carvings and exotic designs.
Osterley Park and House was once described by Horace Walpole as “the palace of palaces”, making it the ideal filming location for Bridgerton.
“Those locations make a big statement,” says Hood, “and that’s exactly what we wanted.”
Familiar locations include Bath, with the iconic Royal Crescent providing exteriors for Mayfair, the Featherington’s home and carriage drive-bys. Lady Danbury’s House is actually Bath’s beautiful Holburne Museum.
Other familiar Bridgerton locations that viewers can look forward to drooling over include Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, Chiswick House and Painshill Park in Surrey.