The third season of Bridgerton will be released on Netflix in a few months (Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix)
The first look photos at the upcoming third season of Bridgerton have revealed a glimpse at a recast character.
The smash-hit period drama from Shonda Rhimes will be returning to screens in May, with the focus this time around to be on the blossoming romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).
There’s still a few months to go until the eight episodes are released, however Netflix has now teased fans with a glimpse of the characters.
One of the images shows eldest Bridgerton brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) with his new wife Kate (Simone Ashley) in an embrace as they stare into each other’s eyes, a far cry from their first interactions last season where they struggled to be in the same room at times.
Another shows Luke as Colin looking somewhat unimpressed holding a copy of Lady Whistledown’s social pamphlet.
In one of the images, he is also shown with long-time friend and potential love interest Penelope at a social gathering.
It will see the return of Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma and Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton (Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix)
Meanwhile, the rarely-seen sixth Bridgerton sibling Francesca is shown alongside her mother Lady Violet Bridgeton (Ruth Gemmell) and sister Hyacinth (Florence Hunt).
This is the first-time fans have seen actress Hannah Dodd in the role after she replaced Ruby Stokes.
While Ruby played the character for the first two seasons of the show, she was only seen in two episodes of season 1, during which she was away learning piano with her Aunt Winnie in London.
In Season 2, she got slightly more screen time and appeared in three episodes.
At the same time as being in Bridgerton, Ruby was also the lead of another Netflix series Lockwood & Co, however it has since been cancelled.
According to her character description, Francesca ‘is a bit of a mystery within her chatty, extroverted family’.
Hannah Dodd, centre, will now star as Francesca Bridgerton (Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix)
‘Despite her reserved nature, she goes along to get along when it comes to society affairs, fortified with a dry wit and pragmatism that confound the fickle ton yet seem to draw attention when she least desires it.’
Hannah previously starred in Find Me in Paris, Harlots, Flowers in the Attic: The Origins and also played the younger version of Sienna Miller in Anatomy of a Scandal.
This season will focus on the love story of third eldest Bridgerton sibling Colin (Luke Newton) (Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix)
She will also next play a supporting role opposite Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes 2, which will be released on Netflix in July.
Francesca, the second youngest daughter in the Bridgerton family, is expected to take center stage in a potential sixth season of Bridgerton based on the sixth book in author Julia Quinn’s series, When He Was Wicked.
However, before then, fans will see Penelope decide to start looking for a husband after giving up on her long-held crush for Colin after hearing his disparaging words about her last season.
He will have to decide if he is happy being just friends with Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan)
(Picture: Liam Daniel/ Netflix)
As the official synopsis teases: ‘She has decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters.
‘But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger.
‘But he’s disheartened to realise that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder.’
Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor her in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season, but when his lessons start working a little too well, he must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly.
Bridgerton season 3 Part 1 will return on May 16, with Part 2 to follow on June 13.
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She’s one of the six Bridgerton siblings.