When Nicola Coughlan was a young girl, she “wanted to be one of the gay icons”. A bold, brash, unapologetically OTT character – like the ones played by Bette Midler or Liza Minnelli – was, she thought, so much more fun than the classic love interest. But in the latest season of Netflix period drama Bridgerton, Coughlan proves that she can still play the romantic lead to perfection, too – without dialling down her characteristic wit and warmth.
