The first images from the anticipated new season were revealed Saturday.
The first look at Bridgerton season 3 is here!
Netflix revealed the first official photos from the anticipated new season of the Regency romance, which centers on the love story between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who also moonlights as gossip maven Lady Whistledown, and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). The images were released Saturday during Netflix's Tudum global fan event in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In two of the shared photos Penelope and Colin's romance is teased as they steal glances at each other -- and even get close. In another shot, Penelope sits in a window as the ponders something and Colin looks out into the distance -- and shows off his new look as he has returned home from time away.
Season 3 is loosely based on Bridgerton author Julia Quinn's fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which puts the spotlight on Penelope and Colin's relationship.
According to the official synopsis, the upcoming season finds Penelope giving up on her long-held crush on Colin after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly.
Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he's disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly.
Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise, who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope's growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.
With their friendship broken, actress Claudia Jessie offered her take on how the Lady Whistledown revelation will impact Eloise moving forward. "I think she'll be a good friend. That's what I think [she] always will be. I think she'll be a loyal friend [who] didn't tell anyone," Jessie told ET in March 2022. "I mean, they might match scars but I don't think she will. I think she'll be furious, but then be really respectful and not say anything. I don't think she'll want to ruin Penelope."
"I hope that they are able to sort out their friendship as soon as possible, because I'll find that me and Nicola, we're never going to be able to be together again. And so I think that I'd like her to continue to explore that. What we see in season 2 really explores different ways of thinking and different groups of people, different parts of society," the actress added. "I'd love to see that expand for her, to get more political. She's young, she's really intelligent and she's very quick, so I think she's the perfect person to do that with. I'd really like to continue to explore intellectual writings, things like that."
Coughlan, meanwhile, had a different desire for Penelope as she embraces her role as Lady Whistledown while also navigating a romance with Colin: "I do want her to find love and I don't want her to stop writing Whistledown. I want her to have everything."
In September 2022, the first episode title of season 3 was revealed during Netflix's virtual Tudum event. Written by new showrunner Jess Brownell, who takes the reins from Chris Van Dusen, and directed by Tricia Brock, the premiere episode is titled "Out of the Shadows."
The first two seasons of Bridgerton are streaming now on Netflix.
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