‘Bridgerton’ releases steamy Season 3 photos of a surprising couple

Netflix’s steamy hit “Bridgerton” has released some sizzling new photos from the upcoming Season 3 — but they’re not of the expected couple who will take center stage this season.

In a series of new images from the period drama, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and his wife, Kate (Simone Ashley) are shown sharing a charged moment as they embrace. 

The couple will not be the focus of Season 3, since the show is moving on to showcase Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton, 30) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan, 36).

But, that’s not stopping the Season 2 couple from stealing a moment together. 

Based on a series of historical romance novels by Julia Quinn, each season of the notoriously raunchy Shonda Rhimes-produced historical drama follows a different member of the Bridgerton family as they find love in Regency-era London. 

Season 1 followed Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the dashing Simon Basset, aka the Duke of Hastings (Rege-Jean Page); Season 2 followed Anthony Bridgerton (Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Ashley), and Season 3 will follow Colin Bridgerton (Newton) as he finds love with Penelope Featherington (Coughlan). 

The other new photos from the upcoming season show Colin and Penelope standing together, holding a drink in what looks like a ballroom; Anthony and his mom Violet (Ruth Gemmell), standing in a drawing room looking surprised at something off-camera, and Violet and her other daughters – which includes a first look at the recast role of Francesca Bridgerton (now played by Hannah Dodd, previously played by Ruby Stokes). 

The photo of Season 2 couple Anthony and Kate’s steamy moment is especially notable because the Season 1 couple didn’t share more romantic scenes after that season ended.

Page left the show, and even told  Variety that Netflix is “free” to recast the role if they want.

He also dismissed rumors that he’d return to the show after he posted an Instagram photo captioned, “The boys are back in town,” with his former costar Jonathan Bailey. “(No, I’m not going back to the show btw – the papers made that one up.) But we had the best, and most stylish, catch-up I’ve had in a while over some truly excellent Italian coffee and sunshine,” he wrote in June 2022. 

Dynevor briefly appeared in Season 2, but won’t be in Season 3.

 “I’m just excited to watch as a viewer,” she told ScreenRant in January.

“I’ve done what I wanted to do with that character and she had a great arc. If they ask me back in the future, who knows?” she told Variety. 

So, these photos signify that Anthony and Kate will be a larger part of the story even after they wrap up their own romance – unlike Daphne and Simon.

Fans who were disappointed by the lack of sex in Season 2 may be relieved that that wasn’t the end for Anthony and Kate.

“Kate and Anthony are just getting started,” Ashley told Deadline in March 2022.

Bridgerton has been renewed through Season 4 and is reportedly Netflix’s most-watched English language series.

“Bridgerton” Season 3 will hit Netflix in two parts, with the first four episodes premiering May 16, and the second four episodes premiering June 13.