Bridgerton FINALLY returns for highly-anticipated third collection

Heaving bodices, opulent sets and a will-they-won’t-they romance can only mean one thing: Bridgerton is back.

But fans hoping to see more of the bare bottoms and raunchy sex scenes that made the first series such a hit are set to be disappointed, TV critics have warned in their reviews.

While there is still a love story at the centre of the series three, this time between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), reviews claim the ‘sex scenes are dull’. 

The Independent’s Nick Hilton stated the Netflix period drama is ‘losing its bite’ and gave the new series a disappointing two star rating.

However, he praised actress Nicola, 37, saying: ‘Coughlan is a superb screen presence and has long been one of Bridgerton’s strengths.’

The Telegraph also gave the new series two stars, claiming Nicola and Luke have ‘almost zero chemistry’ – despite their close bond in real-life. 

Critic Anita Sign also wrote: ‘The writers seem to have given up. Three of the first four episodes feature an almost identical scene of Penelope fleeing a ball in tears. The Lady Whistledown commentary now feels tired and unnecessary.  

‘Even the sex scenes are perfunctory, thrown in once an episode as if meeting a quota.’ 

The Evening Standard’s Vicky Jessop gave it another two stars, claiming: ‘The Bridgerton formula is wearing thin. 

‘The plot beats are predictable (the old gambit of entering a room just as somebody says the wrong thing is getting old fast), the romance feels copy and paste and they all live happily ever after.’

Meanwhile, The Guardian’s Rachel Aroesti gave it four stars, and said despite ‘the bonking’ being scarce, it is still ‘seriously steamy’.

She added: ‘It’s an immaculately constructed dreamland; the pinnacle of comfort TV.

‘It’s also immediately clear that Bridgerton is benefiting from having two seasons under its corset already, laying the foundations for the most captivating courtship yet.’

Despite there not being much action between character’s Penelope and Colin in the first few episodes, fans are treated to an update on married life for series two’s main characters Lord Anthony and Kate Sharma.

In fact, Anthony and Kate are in the first sex scene of the new series, which takes places 31 minutes into the first episode.

Meanwhile, Colin has two threesome’s – but to viewers disappointment, neither include Penelope. 

The regency romp came under fire for its lack of steamy scenes in the second series, with a meagre three minutes of bedroom action amid eight hours and 29 minutes of screen time.

But viewers can already expect more from the first four episodes of series three, with at least six minutes of kissing, sex, threesomes and lesbian love-making.

There has been several memorable steamy scenes from the last two series – including Daphne geting a lesson in self pleasure, The Duke of Hastings licking a spoon, and that racy library scene. 

When Nicola and Luke were preparing to film Season 3 of the regency era romance series Bridgerton, they knew they were going from supporting characters to main characters. And it was scary.

Coughlan remembers feeling relaxed while watching the couples from the first two seasons perform because the biggest pressure wasn’t on her yet.

‘As supporting actors you can go, ‘I´ll do my little bit but it doesn’t really matter because the main story is over there,’ she told Reuters.

However, that was no longer the case when she and Newton stepped forward as the leading couple for the third season of the Emmy-nominated show.

‘For us to then go into being the main story, I think it overwhelms us still,’ said the Irish actress.

It comes after Nicola revealed that series three of Bridgerton will be even raunchier than the previous two.

The actress previously admitted she was initially terrified to film sex scenes with Luke Newton, who plays her love interest Colin Bridgerton.

Nicola shared: ‘I think we’ve won the sauciness for this series! I am so excited, I can’t wait. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Luke Newton who plays my love interest is so wonderful.’

Fans can expect more action in the second drop of episodes, with Nicola telling The Sun: ‘It’s steamy. I was like, ‘Oh wow, are we really doing that?’

She also revealed on Wednesday in an interview with the Radio Times: ‘There is one where I am very naked on camera and that was my idea, my choice.

‘It just felt like the biggest ‘f*** you’ to all the conversations surrounding my body. It was amazingly empowering. Having now watched those scenes, I’m so proud of them.’

Nicola also confirmed that she and co-star Luke got ‘so comfortable’ that they would lounge together naked in between filming sex scenes.

Nicola teased that series three will be even raunchier than the previous two, which became famous for their racy moments.

But despite admitting she was initially nervous about having her own intimate scenes, the Derry Girls star has gushed that she and Luke got to the point where they were able to relax, even while nude.

In February, the pair had spoken to AP about the show’s sex scenes, with Nicola saying: ‘ There is such vulnerability in those scenes and it’s also a really important part of the story – they’re an important part of the narrative.

‘But [Luke] made me feel really taken care of. Like we really had each other’s backs and also then we could just have a laugh about it. Like to the point that we were just lying under a blanket being like ‘We’re actually chill now.”

Luke laughed and echoed: ‘Yeah halfway through the day you just relax and you’re like ‘I don’t even care that I’m naked’.’

Nicola added: ‘We were having the best time. They were like do you want to get up and we were like ‘No, no, I’m fine. I’m comfy’.’

Fans were thrilled to see series two’s main characters Lord Anthony and Kate Sharma return in series three. 

In one scene, Anthony ( Jonathan Bailey ) glances across the room at Kate ( Simone Ashley ) and Violet, before the husband and wife smile at one another and he crosses the room to join them.

‘Oh, dear is Francesca quite well?’ Violet (Ruth Gemmell) asks, concerned about her daughter.

Anthony replies: ‘Well, she simply needed a moment. As do I, And… I should like to use that moment to dance with my beautiful wife.’

‘Please,’ Violet says. ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ as Kate turns to her mother-in-law and warmly whispers: ‘Interference.’

Violet appears emotional as she watches her son Anthony lead Kate towards the dance-floor.

The couple bow to one another before beginning a group dance, at which point audiences are given a glimpse of Penelope Featherington ( Nicola Coughlan ) looking self conscious and flattening her dress.

Turning back to the husband and wife, Anthony turns Kate under his arm and kisses her.

Bridgerton, developed by Shonda Rhimes’ television production company Shondaland and Netflix, follows the romantic journeys of the Bridgerton family as they navigate London´s ruthless marriage market.

Set in the early 1800s, the story focuses on the scandals and successes of the social season as young marriageable nobility looks for love.

Season 3, which arrived on the streaming platform on Thursday, follows the highly anticipated friends-to-lovers romantic arc between characters Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, played by Coughlan and Newton.

‘The friends-to-lover’s trope, I think a lot of people resonate with that and have experienced that,’ said Newton.

‘I think that’s why people are really passionate and excited for the season,’ he added.

Similarly, the show’s new showrunner for Season 3, Jess Brownell, feels like the romance between Colin and Pen is a huge draw for viewers this time around.

‘Because it’s a friends-to-lovers story, it naturally lends itself to a bit more humor, lightness, of playfulness, and a familiarity,’ said Brownell, who follows in series creator Chris Van Dusen´s footsteps.

‘I think that humor especially is something that really speaks to both Nicola and Luke’s strength.’

While the book series the show is based on by author Julia Quinn features a different love story before getting to Pen and Colin´s, Brownell felt like TV audiences would appreciate a unique chronological order.

‘Pen and Colin have been on our screens now for two seasons. We know them and we care about them,’ Brownell said.

‘It felt like it was time to break out of the pattern of Colin being in the dark about Pen’s feelings for him. We wanted to twist things in a different direction and make him work for Pen’s affections,’ she added. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio).

Bridgerton series three part one streams on Netflix from May 16, series three part two from June 13. The May digital edition of Town & Country is out now.