Season 3 of Bridgerton has been a scorcher, and star Luke Newton is opening up about what it’s really like filming those hot, intimate scenes with Nicola Coughlan.

Luke Newton stands on the red carpet wearing a tailored, textured suit with intricate shoulder detailing

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🚨This post contains spoilers 🚨

Season 3, Part 1 left viewers with their mouths agape as Luke’s character, Colin Bridgerton, finally confessed his feelings for Nicola’s character, Penelope Featherington. Let’s just say I’ll never be able to look at a carriage the same way again.


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Things got so steamy the scene went viral for weeks! Outside of them sharing a kiss, this was Colin and Penelope’s first intimate moment together. And Season 3, Part 2 picked up just where things left off, and with just as much spice!

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton stand facing each other affectionately in an opulent room with tall columns, wearing historical period costumes

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After proposing to Penelope, they reached another milestone in their relationship by moving things from the carriage to the bedroom. This scene was beautiful in so many ways because not only did he profess his love to her, but he also reaffirmed her as a person — acknowledging her intelligence, kindness, and, of course, her beauty.

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan dressed in Regency-era attire, standing in front of a mirror, possibly a scene from a period drama

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Look at the material!! AND MY GIRL PENELOPE DESERVES!!!

Screenshots from "Bridgerton"

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But despite making viewers sweat, these moments can actually be painfully awkward, and sometimes extremely funny, for the actors involved behind the scenes. Luckily, with a great intimacy coordinator and their real-life friendship, Luke and Nicola were able to share more laughs than winces during these scenes.

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton are gazing at each other, she is wearing a vintage-style dress and a necklace; he is in period costume

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In a recent interview with Men’s Health, Luke opened up about filming erotic scenes in front of the cast and crew, and the one moment he and Nicola couldn’t stop giggling.

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan smiling at each other at a Bridgerton event, Luke in a blazer and Nicola in a white outfit

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Because he was going to be naked or partially naked, Luke said he didn’t really think about how he’d look on camera until he saw himself in the mirror wearing his intimacy garment.

Luke Newton at an event, wearing a structured suit over a casual shirt, standing in front of a floral backdrop

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“I was wearing my intimacy garment,” Luke told Men’s Health. “Which is just like a sock with a cup on it, sort of taped on you up in the front, and I saw myself in the mirror and started laughing.”

Luke Newton at a Netflix Bridgerton event, wearing a stylish plaid jacket and black pants, standing in front of a floral arrangement and promotional backdrop

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“I had a robe on, so I went to Nic and said, ‘Nic, I need to show you this before we do a take, because you’ll just laugh at me, and it won’t be this romantic, sexy scene anymore.'”

Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton in period costumes on the set of a historical drama, surrounded by other actors in similar attire

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Once he showed her, they both couldn’t help but giggle. The hard part came when it was actually time to film the scene because they had to try and suppress those giggles.

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan in period costumes, holding drinks at an elegant, candle-lit event with floral and antique decorations

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“In the end, it was actually fun. The production allowed us the time we needed. I think we shot one of those scenes over three days. And it’s quite a short scene — five minutes, maybe. But having that luxury meant there was no pressure. No ‘let’s go, let’s get on with it, let’s get to the next scene.’ It felt surprisingly relaxed.”

Luke Newton at the Bridgerton Netflix premiere, wearing a light-colored, tailored suit with a sheer top underneath

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Although they did enjoy themselves, Colin said he initially assumed things would get a little tricky as he attempted to simulate sex with his close friend, but he said the overall experience felt very comfortable.

Nicola Coughlan in a black suit and sheer top, and Luke Newton in a gray suit with a black top, stand in front of a floral background

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“In your head, you imagine getting undressed in front of one of your close friends and then simulating sex with them, and of course you imagine it’ll be really awkward,” Luke said. “But we actually felt really comfortable because there was already a sensitivity from knowing each other through all these years — not just as Luke and Nic, but as the characters.”

Nicola Coughlan in a red blazer-dress and red heels, and Luke Newton in a dark suit, posing at the Netflix Bridgerton event with a floral backdrop

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“Because their story is a friends-to-lovers story, there needs to be that history between them. And because of our friendship and our rapport on set, each of us could predict how the other person was going to play it, so there was more trust there.”

Nicola Coughlan in a sparkling gown and veil hugs Luke Newton, who is wearing a formal suit, at a "Bridgerton" event

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All three seasons of Bridgerton are now streaming on Netflix.

And for more of Luke, be sure to check out his full Men’s Health interview.