All it takes is a little hand-holding to get the Bridgerton fandom riled up.
On July 23, just a few days after Netflix confirmed season three had begun filming with a cute video starring various members of the cast, Bridgerton fans were treated to the first look at Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley’s reunion as the newly married Anthony and Kate Bridgerton neé Sharma.
Both Bailey and Ashley posted a lovely photo of the on-screen couple’s hands intertwined to their Instagram Stories, enough to send Kanthony fans into a state of unrest. “Hand shots which send everyone into a meltdown, especially me,” one user wrote on Twitter, while another posted, “They invented hand holding.”
What’s it going to be like when they actually reunite on screen?!
Meanwhile, it doesn’t appear like Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) will be reuniting with her Bridgerton love interest anytime soon. Regé-Jean Page left the Regency-era series after just one season of playing the Duke of Hastings and, despite pleas from fans, has been combating rumours of his return for months.
Still, there are some new faces to get excited about as we head into season three, which will focus on the love story between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). According to Netflix, Colin will catch feelings for his close friend while “mentoring” Penelope in her pursuit of a husband. “When his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly,” Netflix revealed in a release.
But Colin could have some hot competition. Joining the cast in season three as potential love interests are Daniel Francis, Sam Phillips and James Phoon, though it’s not clear whose hearts they will be vying for. Francis plays Marcus Anderson, a “charismatic presence who lights up any room he enters, attracting the notice of certain matriarchs in the ton—and the ire of others.” Phillips will star as Lord Debling, who’s described as having “unusual interests” but the “wealth and a noble title to back up his eccentricities.” Lastly, what Phoon’s Harry Dankworth “lacks in wit and intelligence, he more than makes up for with serious good looks.”