Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Looking Upward in Bridgerton Season 3A major Bridgerton season 3 part 2 fan theory has been put to bed. Every season of the Netflix Regency era romance show adapts a different novel in the book series of the same name by Julia Quinn, though not always in the same order. Although seasons 1 and 2 adapted the first two books, season 3 is adapting book 4, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which focuses on the burgeoning love between Colin (Luke Newton) and longtime Bridgerton character Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who secretly operates as the pseudonymous gossip columnist Lady Whistledown.

An eagle-eyed fan thought they spotted a clue in a behind-the-scenes Bridgerton photo that Coughlan posted on Instagram, which features a note on a mirror that has the name “Sophie” on it. After the user commented “SOPHIE?!?,” implying that the image confirmed a theory that Benedict Bridgerton’s (Luke Thompson) book 3 love interest Sophie Beckett would be appearing in season 3 part 2, Coughlan responded by saying that “lolll no, that’s [Sophie Burton’s] makeup station!” Check out a screenshot of the interaction below:

A Screenshot of Nicola Coughlan's Instagram Comments Section

Will Benedict And Sophie’s Romance Follow Colin And Penelope’s?

This Bridgerton Rumor Being Squashed Doesn’t Mean It Won’t Happen

Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington About to Kiss in Bridgerton season 3 Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Dancing in Bridgerton season 3 Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Sitting on a Bench in Bridgerton season 3 episode 1
 Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Speaking in a Carriage in Bridgerton season 3 Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton Visiting Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Secretly at Night in Bridgerton season 3

Though Coughlan has denied this particular theory about season 3 part 2, that doesn’t mean that Benedict and Sophie won’t be the couple at the center of Bridgerton season 4. There are several important reasons why the show will most likely adapt book 3 next, though the central couple of the upcoming season has not yet been officially confirmed. The most important is the fact that adapting book 5 next would put an even bigger break in the timeline of the novels.

While this isn’t necessarily an issue given how season 3 has worked book 4 into its ongoing plot, it seems likely that this rift in the timeline was not necessarily desired but created in order to utilize Coughlan and Newton as soon as possible in case either actor decided to leave the show. Key romantic leads have departed after the end of their arcs, particularly both season 1 stars Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor. While Benedict has also been a character since season 1, Sophie has not yet joined the Bridgerton cast.

Having both characters from Romancing Mister Bridgerton stay on the show for three full seasons before adapting their story properly may have been a tall order, which may have been what necessitated moving their story forward. However, rushing through books 5 and later would require a bit more of a time jump considering the age of the younger Bridgerton siblings. Thus, it still seems most likely that Bridgerton season 4 will bring Benedict and Sophie front and center, even if the latter doesn’t debut in season 3 part 2.

Bridgerton season 3 part 2 premieres on Netflix on June 13.