'Bridgerton' season 3 will focus on Penelope and Colin's love story, says actress Nicola Coughlan

• "Bridgerton" star Nicola Coughlan said that her character's romance will be the center of season three.
• During Netflix FYSEE showcase, Coughlan said the season will follow Colin and Penelope's love story.

"Bridgerton" star Nicola Coughlan has confirmed that the third season of the hit period drama will focus on Colin and Penelope's love story.

Coughlan announced the news at Netflix's FYSEE exhibition in Hollywood on Sunday, which showcased Netflix's various contenders for the upcoming Emmy awards. According to Deadline, towards the end of the panel, Penelope Featherington and Lady Whistledown actress Coughlan was asked about the storyline for the third season.

"Like Lady Whistledown, I have been keeping a secret for quite some time and I can confirm to you all that season 3 is Colin and Penelope's love story," Coughlan said. "I have kept that secret since two weeks into season 2. This is the first time I am saying it here."

That means the third season will adapt the fourth book in Julia Quinn's "Bridgerton" novel series, called "Romancing Mister Bridgerton." In the book, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope's friendship blossoms into something more when Colin finally notices her.

This is a surprise to "Bridgerton" fans because it means the show will skip the third "Bridgerton" book, "An Offer from a Gentleman," which focuses on Colin's older brother Benedict (Luke Thompson) — at least for now.

The previous two seasons focused on Bridgerton siblings Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), who married the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) in season 1, and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who wed Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) in the recently aired second season.

"Bridgerton" season 3 has two other big changes ahead. Creator Chris Van Dusen has stepped down as showrunner and has been replaced by "Bridgerton" executive story editor and producer, Jess Brownell.

In addition to that news, Francesca Bridgerton actress Ruby Stokes is being replaced by Hannah Dodd, after Stokes landed the lead role in Netflix's "Lockwood & Co."

"Bridgerton" author Julia Quinn told Insider that she's "eager" to see how Penelope and Colin's relationship develops

In a recent interview with Insider, Quinn addressed the season two finale in which Colin protests he will never court Penelope because they are just friends, and Penelope overhears.

"The overhearing thing, that's actually a moment in 'An Offer From a Gentleman.' She overhears something that's a little different than that. It's not quite as cruel in the book," Quinn said.

Quinn added: "I'm eager to see how they move that forward. Because in the book, she does immediately say something like, 'I don't recall ever asking you to.' She really takes charge of the moment."

This will not be the first departure from the "Bridgerton" novels. While seasons one and two have followed the books in order, the show's writers have made several changes, such as giving Eloise Bridgerton a new love interest in season two, and casting season two lead Kate Sharma as an Indian woman.

In an interview with Insider following the first season, the author of the "Bridgerton" novels said she relinquished creative control of the TV adaptation but was happy with the changes.

"One of the smartest things you can do in life is recognize when other people are smart and have more expertise than you do and get out of their way," Quinn said.

Quinn also told Insider last month that the second season veers "farther from the book than season one did."

"I don't expect them to be word-for-word and I don't want them to be carbon copies," the 52-year-old author said. "It's really neat, you have these two things that complement each other really well."

"Bridgerton" is available to stream on Netflix.