It’s time for the third season of Netflix hit Bridgerton, and this time around the story focuses on the potential romance between third eldest Bridgerton son Colin, as played by Luke Newton, and his lifelong friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).

The first season focused on Colin’s eldest sister Daphne and her relationship with brooding Simon, the Duke of Hastings, while the second featured Bridgerton heir Anthony and Kate Sharma – and both seasons were known for the intimate sex scenes between the couples.

So Luke and Nicola knew what to expect when it came time for their characters’ romance to take centre stage in the latest season, and in an interview with British Airways’ High Life magazine, Luke admitted that being friends with Nicola made filming the steamier scenes much easier.

Bridgerton season three stars Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton -Credit:LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX

Bridgerton star Luke Newton

Luke Newton as Colin in Bridgerton -Credit:LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
“Looking back, it was a breeze,” he said. “She’s my friend, so we just giggle about it. There are those moments when you come out of your body and go, ‘Oh, millions of people will see this.’ But then I’ve been an actor for many years now. People have seen my performance on stage and other shows, so you feel confident.”

Season three picks up the story of the Bridgerton siblings a few months after season two – which premiered more than two years ago in March 2022 – Anthony and Kate are back from their honeymoon, Penelope is estranged from best friend Eloise Bridgerton after she figured out she was gossip writer Lady Whistledown, and Colin has returned from a months-long trip around Europe.

In the interview, Luke talked about what it was like to be the leading man for the third season of the hugely successful show.

Bridgerton's Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton season three -Credit:LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton

Bridgerton season three stars Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan -Credit:LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
“It’s overwhelming,” he said. “Each year, each season, we take on a new relationship, but this is the first year that I’m navigating my way through how to deal with that. I’m learning how to cope with the whole fame thing.”

There has already been a reaction to Luke’s promotion to leading Bridgerton heartthrob before the episodes have even premiered, with fans noting on TikTok and Twitter that his character has had something of a ‘glow up’, as Colin returns from Europe with longer, wavier hair, a tan and a certain swagger – what has Colin been up to?

“A lot of the TikTok videos are like, ‘What does Shondaland [the production company] do? Do they put them through a boot camp?’ It is that funny thing of, ‘How do I take this?’”

Fans needn’t worry that all this newfound attention might scare Luke away from the Bridgerton spotlight in future, however. “It’s changed my life so I know that I’ll be sticking around,” he promises.