The grand finale of Bridgerton Season 3 has finally reached us on Netflix and brought us a rollercoaster of emotions. Certain developments in the last episodes also came as a surprise to the stars around Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton – especially since they partly deviated from Julia Quinn’s novel. In an interview with E! News, the actors revealed how emotionally moved they were by the story of Penelope, Colin – and Cressida.
Attention, from here follow spoiler to the finale of Bridgerton season 3!
Cressida as Lady Whistledown? Nicola Coughlan celebrated season 3 confusion in Bridgerton
When Queen Charlotte puts a £5,000 bounty on the true identity of Lady Whistledown, it initially looks as if Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) has discovered Penelope’s secret. Instead, she initially pretends to be Lady Whistledown herself. A development that made things really exciting for Penelope actress Nicola Coughlan:
How she appears on the scene as Lady Whistledown with the red dress and the crazy sleeves. She is like an evil butterfly. I thought that was great.
Netflix
Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper in Bridgerton
At the same time, according to Coughlan, the twist added a new level to Penelope’s character development, underscoring her conflict between love for Colin and love for writing:
It was brilliant. There is already this conflict with Penelope that she [Lady Whistledown] can’t let go. Why can’t she? That’s what drives them! She is completely in love with this man. He is everything to her, but she also has her career and her strength.Colin learns of Penelope’s true identity: Luke Newton cried his eyes out
The confusion surrounding Cressida eventually leads Colin to follow Penelope to the printing works and reveal her secret. Colin’s actor Luke Newton reacted very emotionally to this twist:
I didn’t know that was even coming in this season. When I read that, I knew that this is what will destroy him the most. Of everyone in the Bridgerton world, he will most injured by it be. I remember we shot the scene so many ways. At first I was supposed to be very stern and angry. And with all the history we’ve had with these characters over the years, that felt very emotional. I cried my eyes out.
You can currently see how exactly the finale of Bridgerton Season 3 unfolds on Netflix. However, we will have to wait a while for new episodes: According to series creator Jess Brownell, the fourth season of Bridgerton is not expected to be released before 2026.