Bridgerton Author Julia Quinn Confirmed A “Risque” Moment Is In Season 3

As a Valentine’s Day gift to the ton, Netflix just released several swoon-worthy details about Bridgerton Season 3 — and book fans, buckle up. Executive producer Shonda Rhimes, author Julia Quinn, and showrunner Jess Brownell began the Feb. 14 panel by teasing what fans can expect from Colin and Penelope’s love story.

There are “lots of moments” from Romancing Mister Bridgerton that make it into the next installment, Quinn told fans. But one in particular stood out to her: a scene in which Penelope helps bandage a cut on Colin’s hand.

“It’s kind of their first true moment of intimacy,” Quinn said. “Emotionally but also, like, touching somebody’s hand in Regency times was really quite risque. And it is, indeed, in the show.”

If you don’t mind a minor book spoiler, here’s what happened between Colin and Penelope during that scene.

From Book To Screen

Early in the novel, Colin walks in when Penelope is reading his private journal. She’s a fan of the prose about his travels, but he’s not happy about the snooping.

While preparing to make an angry exit with his things, Colin accidentally cuts his hand on a letter opener. Penelope reaches into his breast pocket to grab a handkerchief to stop the bleeding — “trying not to notice the warm beat of his heart” while doing so. (Swoon!)

Despite his irritation, Colin appears to be softened by Penelope’s care, and she is shocked to see “vulnerability, hesitancy, and even insecurity” in her longtime crush. So the mishap seems to be a pivotal (if accidental) step to a #Polin endgame.

Other Season 3 Clues

At the virtual fan event, Netflix also released the list of episode titles: “Out of the Shadows,” “How Bright the Moon,” “Forces of Nature,” “Old Friends,” “Tick Tock,” “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” “Joining of Hands,” and “Into the Light.”

Brownell encouraged fans to guess about the titles and generate theories ahead of Season 3 — which, assuredly, they will. “Out of the Shadows,” for example, is a phrase used in the book sequence where (spoiler!) Colin is about to learn about Penelope’s alter ego, Lady Whistledown.

A Reflective Season?

If you’ve been following the #Polin hype, you know other book scenes have been teased as well. The promo art for the season, in which Penelope looks into a mirror, was perceived by many fans to be a nod at one of Romancing Mister Bridgerton’s steamiest moments, a love scene when Colin fantasizes about the way a mirror could enhance the experience.

In a social media video, Nicola Coughlan said she gets “messages about mirrors all the time.” So it’s safe to say she knows what the fans are excited to see.