The Penelope and Colin stars on six-packs, sex scenes and why women are the secret to the show’s success.
Bridgerton, Netflix’s remarkable reinvention of the costume drama, arrived on our screens on Christmas Day in 2020 and, with its colour-blind casting and uninhibited attitude to sex, it took the UK (and the world) by storm.
Now in its third season, we talk to the two leads, Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton, who play Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. Coughlan tells us about the bumpy road to fame and the choreography of sex scenes, while Newton recalls the hard work he did in the gym to create his character’s buff new look. It isn’t Jane Austen, but it is great fun.
Also in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, we celebrate the Aria Awards, aka the Oscars of audio, which took place at the Theatre Royal in London last week with the great and the good of radio and podcasts in attendance. We feature some of the winners on the night, including the coveted Radio Times Moment of the Year award that so many of you voted for and the tributes that were paid to radio legends Steve Wright and Annie Nightingale.
One highlight of the evening was when former rugby league player – and motor neuron disease campaigner – Rob Burrow came on stage to accept the awards for Best New Podcast and Creative Innovation. As the cheers rang round the grand old Georgian theatre, I couldn’t help thinking that Lady Whistledown would have approved.
The new issue of Radio Times magazine is out now – subscribe to Radio Times here.
Also in this week’s Radio Times:
- Richard Rankin discusses new drama series Rebus, auditioning for Scottish roles, and Glaswegians’ love for Edinburgh
- Garden designer Holly Johnston on the Bridgerton Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, sustainability in gardening and using upcycled gravel
- Dame Judi Dench chats to us about her thoughts on pre-performance trigger warnings at the theatre
Bridgerton season 3 part 1 premieres on Thursday 16th May 2024, and part 2 will then be released on Thursday 13th June. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now on Netflix. You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.