Bridgerton fans have been waiting for Penelope and Colin's first kiss for many years and it finally arrived in Bridgerton season 3!
"It was quite a big moment," explained Nicola Coughlan, when we sat down to chat to her and co-star Luke Newton at a recent press event. "We'd already shot another scene, the ending scene of us together in episode one, that day. So there was a lot going on."
Yet while temperatures soared as the couple embraced on screen, things were also hot and sticky on set, as Luke explained when Nicola asked if he felt any nerves ahead of their opening smooch.
"It was one of the first things we shot in July 2022," explained Luke after a diplomatic silence. "It was a night shoot, but it was the hottest day of the year that's ever been recorded in the UK!"
Based on the fourth book in Julia Quinn's series of novels, Romancing Mr Bridgerton, the third series begins with Penelope Featherington feeling rejected by her beloved Colin Bridgerton.
The pair have been friends for many years, but at the end of Bridgerton season 2 she was heartbroken when she overheard him saying he would never consider courting her.
That barb inspires Penelope to look elsewhere for a husband at the start of this year's third series, yet after making a fool of herself at the first ball of the season, it's her old friend Colin who comes to comfort her.
"The scene is brilliantly written and Penelope asking him to kiss her is taken directly from the book," says Nicola Coughlan. "It was really difficult to play that because a lot of people don't understand why she would do that... but you have to understand in that moment, she thinks she's lost everything.
"She thinks she's embarrassed herself in front of society, no one's going to marry her, she's stuck with her mum and sisters forever and the man she loves doesn't love her!
"So she's like, 'I've got nothing. I've got nothing to lose.' But it's a sad moment because they kiss, they obviously have this connection, but they pull away and she goes, 'I've just embarrassed myself. I'm gonna just leave.' And in that moment, Colin then goes: 'Oh, there's something there!'"
Bridgerton season 3 Part 1 is now available on Netflix.
