Luke Newton says ex-Bridgerton leads Regé-Jean Page gave him advice ahead of season 3

The third season of the Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton is almost here, and leading man Luke Newton is taking advice from predecessors, Regé-Jean Page and Jonathan Bailey to guide him through what comes next.

Newton plays Colin Bridgerton, and season three will feature his friends-to-lovers story with Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan.

Page, who played season one’s Simon Hastings, told Newton to go on a “big holiday before all the madness starts,” Newton told InStyle.

“[Regé] sort of grabbed me, gave me a big hug and was like, ‘Are you ready for this, bro?’ Johnny’s been there kind of the whole way for me,” he said.

While Page left the show after his season, Bailey, who plays the Bridgerton family head and Colin’s eldest brother Anthony Bridgerton, continues to reprise his role on the show—and seems to do so off-screen as well.

“We talk all the time, and it was really nice in season 2 seeing how he conducted himself on set knowing that I’d be next,” Newton said of Bailey.

“It was nice to see someone do it so well.”

Speaking about whether Newton is aware of how his life is about to change after the release, he said he hadn’t thought about it.

“I don’t really know how I feel about it…It’s slightly overwhelming,” he said.

“We’re in such a time in culture where everyone is very much onto the next thing so quickly that I know that I won’t feel overwhelmed for a really long time.”

“I know that it will be crazy and it’ll be a real experience for a short amount of time. Then we’ll be onto the next season, and I’ll be pleased to hand the baton over,” he added.

In an interview with The Independent, Newton discussed his on-set relationship with Coughlan, whose character has harboured romantic feelings for Colin since season one.

Newton said the pair clicked “from day one” and would often meet up for “a little gossip” between scenes – which is pretty apt, with Penelope being revealed in the season one finale as the Ton’s undercover gossipmonger, Lady Whistledown herself.

The third season will also see Simone Ashley return, who plays the Viscountess Kate Bridgerton, while Phoebe Dynevor will be leaving the cast. Dynevor kicked off the first season of the show opposite Page, playing Daphne Bridgerton.

Anatomy of a Scandal cast member Hannah Dodd joined the cast as Francesca Bridgerton, after Ruby Stokes’ departure from the role.

Season 3 of Bridgerton will release in two parts, with part one premiering on May 16, and the second half on June 13 on Netflix.