Bridgerton star Luke Newton teases Colin and Penelope's 'slow burn' relationship

Bridgerton season 3 is ready to shine the spotlight on the next Bridgerton sibling: Colin (Luke Newton) when the series returns to Netflix.

Bridgerton's first season recounted Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings' (Regé-Jean Page) relationship and was followed up by Bridgerton season 2, which revolved around the blossoming romance between the eldest Bridgerton, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) in 2022.

The third season chiefly revolves around Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin. From the sounds of things, Newton thinks the friends-to-lovers story between the pair will be a relatable experience for many viewers.

In an interview with InStyle, Newton discussed the emotional foundation between Colin and Penelope. "It's kind of nice to portray that couple that's the slow burn", he said. "I feel like a lot of people will relate to the childhood crush."

He went on to say that he thinks this latest love story could be viewed as more 'meaningful' than what's come before, and that the inevitable intimacy springs out of our two leads' prior connection. "I think for [Colin], particularly as [he and Penelope] get closer, it's more meaningful. It's less of a physical thing. It's more just stripping back the ego and being completely open, honest, gentle, and not having to feel like he has to be the man around town sort of thing."

This interview comes shortly after Nicola Coughlan shared her reaction to Bridgerton season 3. Appearing on BBC's The One Show in early April, Coughlan revealed that she'd watched some footage from the next installment and it left her 'bouncing off the walls with excitement'.

And when host Jermaine Jenas joked about how the romance will go down at home, Coughlan also admitted on the show that she'd asked for a more family-friendly version of Bridgerton for her nearest and dearest to watch! "I asked for a PG version for my family because I'm not doing that", she said. "Having seen what I watched last night, I'm really not doing that. Watch it with your mum if you want; I won't be watching it with mine — I'll get her her own Netflix account!"

Bridgerton season 3 will arrive in two parts on May 16 and June 13, exclusively on Netflix. 

Looking for another show to keep you occupied while you wait for our return to the ton? Check out our guide to the best Netflix shows to find your next Netflix binge.