Dedicated fans of Bridgerton, Netflix’s lush, swooningly romantic period drama period drama that smashed viewing records back when it debuted on Christmas Day, 2020, already know that the series was granted both a third and fourth season when season two was still in production. Still, waiting for news of the release date has been as sweetly agonising as anticipating the arrival of a scented letter from a paramour.
Well, wait no more! Lady Whistledown’s poison pen will touch paper again soon, as Bridgerton season 3 premieres exclusively on Netflix on May 16.
Bridgerton: Season 3
But this sumptuous feast is being served in two courses, with only the first four episodes of the new season hitting then. The second serving arrives on June 13.
Based on the beloved series of novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton follows the fortunes and follies of the titular family as their eight grown children navigate the competitive world of Regency high society in search of love, social advantage, and the odd spot of revenge.
Now, summarising what has gone before is a big ask, considering the series thrives on tangled and taut webs of social connection, love triangles, and complex rivalries, but we can say that this season puts the spotlight on Penelope Featherington’s (Nicola Coughlan) search for a suitable husband following season 2’s finale, when she overheard her long-time crush, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) disparaging her. And, as fans already know, Penelope is secretly Lady Whistledown, the pseudonymous author of the gossip pamphlet that documents the lives of London’s most prominent high society dons and doyennes. And apparently she writes exactly the way Julie Andrews sounds—neat trick, that.
Colin, for his part, decides to win back her friendship by helping her land a husband, but we’re fairly certain he’ll wake up to himself before too long, the fool.
So mark your calendars, ladies and gentlemen, and get ready for another society season of longing glances, thwarted desires, bitter jealousies, and mutton chops as far as the eye can see!
