Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan has announced that she will be stepping down from her role as Penelope Featherington in the upcoming fifth season. The actress spoke about this in an interview with E! News.
According to Coughlan, her decision is tied to the completion of an important stage in her character’s history. She called it a “bittersweet feeling” and noted that one of the series’ main advantages is that each season tells a new story.
Penelope Featherington was the first Lady Whistledown, the secret author of a gossip pamphlet about the life of the London aristocracy. Her identity was revealed at the end of the third season, when it became known that she had an affair with Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton.
In the fourth season, Penelope faced the consequences of revealing her identity. She lost the opportunity to write about other people’s lives as she had before. In the end, she decided to step down as Lady Whistledown, focusing on her marriage to Colin and motherhood.
At the same time, a new gossip writer appeared at the end of the season. Her identity remains a mystery for now. Coughlan admitted that she herself does not know who is hiding behind the image of the new Lady Whistledown.
Coughlan also noted that she does not yet know how many episodes her character will appear in in the fifth season. The premiere of the new series is scheduled for 2027.