Penelope Featherington and and Colin Bridgerton’s romance is center stage on the Netflix show’s third season

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton have a great relationship both on-screen and off.

Bridgerton kicked off its first season with the slow burn between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). The show’s second season centered on the enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).

Coughlan and Newton are at the center of the latest season of Bridgerton, which is based on the book Romancing Mister Bridgerton, the fourth in the series written by Julia Quinn. This time around, the show will follow the friends-to-lovers relationship between their characters, Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.

The Regency era Netflix hit returns for its third season in two parts: The first four episodes will debut on the streaming platform on May 16, 2024, with the final four parts launching on June 13.

The show is best known for its spicier scenes, and the new installment will be no exception. Coughlan opened up to Tudum about the process of shooting intimate scenes, noting that she had filmed sex scenes before “but not in the Bridgerton way.”

“It’s really funny, because Luke and I have known each other now three years. In the beginning, we used to joke about [the inevitably of one together] all the time,” she explained. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner to go into this with, and I have such trust in Luke, and I hope he has it in me to go forward on it.”

Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in ‘Bridgerton.’.LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX

In June 2023, Coughlan teased the third season in an interview with PEOPLE, calling it “so romantic.”

“I think season 1 was about passion, season 2 was about longing and season 3, I think it’s romance all the way,” she said. “There were a lot of moments on set where we filmed something and we’d turn around and everyone was sort of clutching their chest being like ‘Oh my God.’ It was that kind of love.”

Ahead of Bridgerton season 3’s release, here’s a look at Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton’s sweetest moments together as costars and friends.

Coughlan and Newton’s years of friendship prepared them for the new season of Bridgerton

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton take a selfie.NICOLA COUGHLAN INSTAGRAM

Both Coughlan and Newton cited their years-long friendship as one of the reasons they were able to go through the process of filming their season of Bridgerton.

They spoke to Good Morning America in May 2024 about the show, with Newton telling the outlet, “Can you imagine if one of us jumped out and there was someone new at the start of season three? It just would not be the same and it also says a lot about the character’s journey.”

Coughlan added, “I think one of the most important things that you can have is good communication and respect from another and we had that in spades, thankfully.”

She noted that there “wasn’t much” she and Newton didn’t actually want to do, adding, “We’re like, go for it. But it was just having control. It helps so much that it ended up making it a really lovely experience.”

The duo also spoke to News Breakfast about their friendship’s influence on their performances in the latest installment.

“It sounds so saccharin when actors are like ‘We just really got on,’ but we actually did,” Coughlan said. “I think either of us would really struggle to be disingenuous, it’s just not in us.”

Newton said their relationship prior to filming season 3 was “so appropriate” to their characters’ story too “because they’re friends-to-lovers so it felt like a perfect fit that we were friends going into it.”

They’ve been “dance partners” for five years

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton pose for a photo.NICOLA COUGHLAN INSTAGRAM

Coughlan and Newton haven’t just shared the screen during the first two seasons of the show.

The actress told E! News in May 2024 that she and her costar were dance partners in the years leading up to season 3, adding, “We had a certain physical comfort level with each other which helps immensely.”

Newton said “it was natural” to bring their romance to life on-screen and noted that the two didn’t have to do much to “ignite” their chemistry.

“We just went for it,” Coughlan chimed in. “We had to kind of hold back on the chemistry for the first two seasons. And then it was like when we were ready to unleash it, we were like, ‘Here you go!’ “

Newton emphasized that their history and friendship became an asset during the filming process for the show.

“You’d think filming a scene like that with someone who’s a friend, who has been your friend for like four years, would be a daunting experience, but actually it was a reassuring one,” he explained.

They broke furniture while filming a sex scene

Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton in ‘Bridgerton.’.LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt — or equipment gets damaged.

Coughlan and Newton were asked by 7News Australia if it was true that while filming a passionate scene for the show, the duo broke a piece of furniture in the process. Without hesitating, the actress replied, “Hell yeah we did.”

The Derry Girls star shared that she was “terrified” before filming started, saying, “I think Luke and I went on such a journey together and we have such a good relationship, he’s such a lovely friend, that we could talk about and have a laugh about.”

Newton described the experience of filming the third season of Bridgerton, especially the racier scenes with Coughlan, as a “really safe space.”

“There were moments where we could explore the scene and try it different ways and that ended up in a piece of furniture getting broken,” he revealed.

As for their reaction to the accidental damage caused, he said that they both “just laughed” and said he hoped that their candid reaction would ultimately make the final cut.

Coughlan supported Newton at his play

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan pose for a photo.NICOLA COUGHLAN INSTAGRAM

Even outside of Bridgerton, the duo encourage each other in their separate endeavors.

In June 2023, the costars caught up while Newton was in the midst of starring in a run of The Shape of Things on London’s West End.

Coughlan shared a photo in which she posed next to him in a restaurant booth as they smiled for the camera. In the caption, she wrote a sweet note about him, “Smashing it up on the London stage and I’m so proud, you’re the best @lukenewtonuk.”

The snap was also taken by Bridgerton alum, Charithra Chandran, who portrayed Edwina Sharma in the show’s second season.

They held hands at a season 3 launch event

Nicola Coughlan holds hands with ‘Bridgerton’ costar Luke Newton at Australia premiere on April 21, 2024.JAMES GOURLEY/GETTY

Coughlan and Newton have been giving “Polin” fans plenty of content during press events leading up to the premiere of season 3.

In April 2024, the duo were photographed holding hands on the red carpet at a launch event at Milton Park Country House in Bowral, Australia.

Inside the event, Elle Australia shared a video of Coughlan explaining why it wasn’t difficult for her to build a deeper connection with Newton on-screen.

“We’ve known each other now five years and people were like, ‘What did you do to build the chemistry?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, we just stopped repressing it, and then it was fine, we didn’t have to do anything,’ ” the actress explained.

At another event, Coughlan and Newton exited a building together. In a fan video shared on TikTok, he appeared to hold his hand out for her to hold and she linked their arms together instead.

Despite their heartfelt moments, PEOPLE learned in May 2024 that Coughlan and Newton are “just friends.” A source close to the actors shared that they are simply “supportive” of each other and “are not dating.”

Newton modeled a shirt for Coughlan

Luke Newton takes a selfie in a T-shirt Nicola Coughlan designed.NICOLA COUGHLAN INSTAGRAM

Newton found a sweet way to support his friend through her activism efforts.

Coughlan collaborated with the nonprofit organization Choose Love on an exclusive t-shirt to raise money for displaced people and refugees globally. The shirt features a design drawn by Coughlan herself, depicting a girl holding an umbrella with the words “Choose” written on it while the word “love” rains down.

On Instagram in October 2023, she shared a selfie of Newton donning the shirt. In the caption, she wrote in part, “I know you’ve been waiting and the latest @chooselove model is here.”

“Thank you Luke for being the best and supporting this incredible charity who are supporting refugees in great need the world over,” she added.

They’re enjoying their Bridgerton experience together

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan attend Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ season 3 New York City premiere on May 13, 2024.JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY

Ahead of Bridgerton season 3 debuting on Netflix, Coughlan and Newton stepped out again with their cast members for the New York City premiere.

At the red carpet event, the actors posed with each other: Coughlan wore a white off-the-shoulder dress with a peplum detail and train. Meanwhile, Newton donned a red and black jacket and dark pants accessorized with a watch.

Afterward, Coughlan revealed what she and Newton thought about the dating rumors in response to their on-screen chemistry. Speaking to Extra, the actress shared that they appreciated everyone’s excitement.

“We think it’s really sweet … because we truly love each other,” she said. “He is a really special person in my life, and I got to do this experience with him. I’ll never get to do something like this again, on this scale … It’s so nice having such a lovely friend that I can do all this with.”