Watch as Coughlan and Newton chat with Ashley and Bailey about what it means to lead the third season of “Bridgerton” as its new stars with a whole new love story.

Being the series leads of any season of Shondaland’s hit Netflix series Bridgerton is no easy feat. Much rests on the shoulders of these actors and actresses who are tasked with portraying the rich, resonant, and complex romances at the center of each season — and that’s to say nothing of the intense and dedicated fandom that comes along with it.

While it was Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page who introduced us to the adapted-for-TV world of the first season of Bridgerton as Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, it was Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey, in season two as Kate Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton, who bore the responsibility of keeping us just as rapt with a new Bridgerton love story. And, boy, did they ever.

But while both of these pairings have enchanted us since the series premiered in 2020, there is one relationship that fans of Julia Quinn’s original book series, on which Bridgerton is based, have been beyond eagerly waiting for: Polin. Indeed, the friends-to-lovers romance between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton is one that, as it slow-burns over the course of multiple books, sneaks up on you to become an enthralling, endearing portrait of the ways love can endure through challenges and changes. And that’s no small order for Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton to take on as they portray this relationship in season three of Bridgerton, which premieres in two parts on, first, May 16 and then on June 13.

In the video above, as Ashley prepares to pass the torch, so to speak, to Coughlan as the new female lead of Bridgerton, the two women get into just what it means to helm a season of the series. They talk big scenes, the rabid fandom, and even their own insecurities when it comes to being a romantic star of something as big as Bridgerton.

Similarly, in the video below, Bailey and Newton have their own revealing conversation about the same pressures and excitements that come with taking on the male lead of Bridgerton.

In all, we can see that, just as Ashley and Bailey brought the Kanthony love story together in an unforgettable way, so too will Coughlan and Newton with our beloved Polin. To see just how they do that, be sure to catch the part one and part two premieres of Bridgerton on Netflix on May 16 and June 13. Also, watch this space for all your Bridgerverse updates and announcements. Peruse our previous Bridgerton content, featuring all the cast interviews and oodles of behind-the-scenes stories and videos; catch up on the Bridgerton podcast; and get your hands on official merch that lets you live like a Bridgerton.