The runaway success of season two of Bridgerton proved that the Emmy-winning Netflix series is not slowing down any time soon. The second installment of the show broke the viewership record set by season one, meaning it was not at all surprising when talk quickly turned to season three (and four!) after the credits rolled on the last episode. Yes, that’s right, the series will indeed be back for another two installments thanks to Shondaland and showrunner Jess Brownwell.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the upcoming season, including who will be making a return, who won’t come back (hint: a major character is definitely out), and when you can expect more gossip from the ton, as reported by the ever-so-snarky Lady Whistledown.
What will the plot of Bridgerton season three be?
There are eight Bridgerton siblings, and ostensibly that could mean there might be eight seasons, that is if the series is to follow the structure of the Bridgerton books on which it is based, which dedicates one book to the romantic foibles of a different Bridgerton child. We’ve already had our Daphne season, our Anthony season, and now, it’s Colin Bridgerton’s turn. Season three will follow the third eldest brother and his relationship with Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). It has never been a secret that the gossip writer had a crush on her best friend, and now, it seems like that love story will finally be explored. At the same time, Penelope will be dealing with the fallout of her relationship with her former best friend, Eloise Bridgerton, after their fight in season two when Eloise learned of Penelope’s double life as Lady Whistledown.
For those who may want to wag their fingers about the fact that this will take the series out of order from Julia Quinn’s books, Shonda Rhimes had previously confirmed that the seasons will dive into the romantic entanglements of each sibling, but they will not be shared in the same order as Quinn’s Bridgerton romance novel series. The situation between Colin and Penelope unfolds in the fourth installment, Romancing Mister Bridgerton. The third book, An Offer from a Gentleman, focuses on Benedict Bridgerton. But in all honesty, we are still holding out for season four to give Eloise Bridgerton the breakout moment she so deserves.
In an interview with Insider, Quinn explained why she thought the showrunners decided to change up the order:
“I think they had just felt they had laid down so much groundwork because we already know Penelope,” Quinn said. “We haven’t met Benedict’s love interest. I suppose people are gonna say, ‘They could have introduced her.’ But the fact of the matter is, we haven’t. And what I try to tell people is, look, once a character has their season, we don’t see them as much, right? So, if you love Benedict, you want him to wait as long as possible.”
Of course, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Kate and Anthony either. We’ll get to see their marriage unfold more in the next installment according to Simone Ashley, who plays Kate in the series. “Kate and Anthony are just getting started,” she told Deadline, insisting that the Viscountess won’t lose her spunk in season three. “She’s in charge of the household now and she’s got big boots to put on. I want to keep that softness and vulnerability to Kate, for sure, and she can share that with Anthony. I’m just excited for her to have a home and to have a family.” Ashley also revealed that we will get to experience some of Kate and Anthony’s “honeymoon phase,” which will place the couple in a very different light than last season. “We’re filming a dance this week and tonally, it’s so different—sweet, endearing and light, compared to the heaviness of their story last season,” she told British Vogue.
One thing is for sure, whatever drama unfolds, Lady Whistledown will be there, waiting in the wings to spread the gossip far and wide all over the ton during the next debutante season.
Will there be any new cast members in Bridgerton season 3?
Now that number one bachelor Anthony Bridgerton is off the market, we need to bring in some new suitors to spice things up. Enter Harry Dankworth, Lord Debling, and Marcus Anderson, played by James Phoon, Sam Phillips, and Daniel Francis, respectively. According to Netflix, what Dankworth “lacks in wit and intelligence, he more than makes up for with serious good looks,” while Debling is a “genial lord with unusual interests.” Anderson, meanwhile, is “a charismatic presence who lights up any room he enters, attracting the notice of certain matriarchs in the town—and the ire of others.”
In addition, Black Sails star Hannah New will join the cast as Lady Tilley Arnold, “a firebrand widow,” who “enjoys the privileges and power that come with being at the helm of her former husband’s estate, living life on her own terms with financial independence and sexual freedom,” according to Deadline. Will Arnold interfere with the possible romance between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, the main focuses of the third season? Perhaps. Or, Arnold could find herself interested in one of the other new suitors above.
Who is returning for Bridgerton season 3?
Regé-Jean Page, who played the Duke of Hastings in Bridgerton season one, decided not to fulfill his contract for more seasons of the royal drama series. Despite that fact, fans remained hopeful for a chance that he might reappear. So much so that when rumors started swirling that Page would reprise his role, the British star was compelled to address the speculation. In a June 21 Instagram post of him with his former Bridgerton co-star Jonathan Bailey, Page wrote: “The boys are back in town. ❤️ (No, I’m not going back to the show btw – the papers made that one up.) But we had the best, and most stylish, catch up I’ve had in a while over some truly excellent Italian coffee and sunshine ☕️.”
As for the Bridgerton siblings, it looks as though most of them including Anthony played by Jonathan Bailey, will be making their way back to Netflix for another round. Although in January 2023, Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, shared that she probably would not be appearing in the series’ third season. During an interview with Screen Rant Screen Rant at the Sundance Film Festival Dynevor was asked if there were any exciting dynamics lined up for Daphne in the future. Her response: “Sadly not in season 3. Potentially in the future. But season 3, I’m just excited to watch as a viewer.” Like Page, the breakout star of the the first season seems to be moving on. Meanwhile, the Featherington family—especially fan favorite Penelope Featherington will also come back for more.
But what we’re really excited about is the return of Ashley, who has become something of an It Girl after her turn as Kate Sharma in season two. Ashley has become something of an It Girl after her turn as Kate Sharma in season two. If this leading lady wasn’t already on your radar, she’s definitely made it clear that she, and Charithra Chandran, the actress who plays her sister Edwina Sharma, are the main reasons to dive into the series’ second season.
Eagle-eyed fans will also note that second-youngest Bridgerton daughter Francesca, the quiet sister who scurried away to Bath during season one, came back for very brief appearances in the first three episodes of season two. Next season, however, the character will take up more real estate in the show—and will be played by a different actress. Ruby Stokes, who played Francesca in seasons one and two, is leaving the show to star in a different Netflix book-to-series adaptation, Lockwood & Co. In season three, Francesca will be played by Hannah Dodd, who recently appeared in—yes, another Netflix show—Anatomy of a Scandal. You can’t blame them for keeping it all in the Netflix family.
Series showrunner Chris Van Dusen explained Francesca’s season two absence in March. “After exhausting all other options, she unfortunately had to come out due to reasons beyond our control,” he told TV Line. If Bridgerton continues with the pattern of covering a new sibling each season, Francesca is expected to be the main character in season six, which would be based on the novel, When He Was Wicked.
Does Bridgerton season three have a release date?
Production for the series began in July 2022, but there is still no official release date. Unsubstantiated rumors about creative differences among the creators—including the axing of a storyline that was considered too dark—may contribute to delays. Right now, the best guess is spring or summer of 2023.
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