Nicola Coughlan Teases ‘Romantic’ Season 3 of ‘Bridgerton’ That ‘Stays Very True to the Books’ (Exclusive)

Nicola Coughlan tells PEOPLE Penelope is “ready to launch herself out into the marriage market in a new way” as she enters a new season without her best friend

Nicola Coughlan can summarize Bridgerton season 3 in one word: “Romantic.”

While teasing the upcoming third season at Netflix’s Tudum event this past weekend, Coughlan told PEOPLE the season — focusing on her character Penelope Featherington’s deepening relationship with best friend and longtime crush Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) — has a completely different tone from seasons 1 and 2 of the beloved Netflix period piece.

“I always look at the three seasons like this. 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. “It’s just so romantic.”

Even during filming, there was magic in the air for the Netflix cast and crew. “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.”

Coughlan, 36, confirmed that the upcoming season will follow the Bridgerton book’s plot. “It’s really special and it stays very true to the books,” she said, teasing Newton’s “amazing” performance as Colin.

“We had one of the best times filming it and it’s one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, for sure,” she said.
It’s been long confirmed that season 3 of Bridgerton would follow the budding romance between Penelope and Colin, who has kept her in the friend zone for years.

As season 3 begins, Penelope is socially stranded after being outed as Lady Whistledown to her best friend Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who also happens to be Colin’s younger sister. Without the company and support of her friends, Penelope decides to take her life into her own hands.

Pen “sort of like, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I’m out with Eloise. I’m out with Colin. I don’t want to be with my family. I need a husband,’” Coughlan told PEOPLE. “So she’s like a woman on a mission. She’s ready to go, ready to launch herself out into the marriage market in a new way. She wants a whole new look, and she gets it.”