Regency-era period drama Bridgerton has taken the world by storm and if you've only just started the series or you binge-watched the second instalment on the day it was released - there's one question we're all asking, will there be a third series?
Based on the book series from Julia Quinn, Shondaland's first Netflix series followed Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and her marriage to the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). It made Netflix history when it was watched by 82 million member households around the world in its first 28 days.
The latest series is based on the second novel in the Bridgerton series 'The Viscount Who Loved Me' and sees eldest brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) commit to finding a new wife and Viscountess. But his plans to marry the diamond of the season, Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), don't go quite to plan when her older sister Kate (Simone Ashley) becomes involved in the arrangement.
So if you're already wondering when you can get your next regency fix, here's everything we know so far about the third series of Bridgerton:
Will there be a third season of Bridgerton?
The good news is yes! Bridgerton will be returning for a third and fourth series. It was confirmed by Netflix and Shondaland back in April 2021 that the period drama had been renewed for a further two series.
At the time of the announcement, Shonda Rimes said: "This two-season pickup is a strong vote of confidence in our work and I feel incredibly grateful to have partners as collaborative and creative as Netflix. Betsy and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue bringing the world of Bridgerton to a worldwide audience.”
It was also revealed in May 2021 that a spin-off series had been agreed and would be written by Shonda Rhimes. The series will centre on the rise and love life of a young Queen Charlotte and the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury.
When will Bridgerton series three be released on Netflix?
No release date has been confirmed for the third series just yet. The first series was released on Christmas Day 2020 and filming was slightly delayed on series two, due to the pandemic, and was released on March 25 this year.
If the cast and crew start filming on the third series this summer, then we could see a third series being released in the spring or summer of 2023 - but it all depends on the filming schedule.
What will the third series of Bridgerton be about?
It's not yet confirmed what the plot will be for series three, but given the explosive ending to series two there's going to be a lot to unpack in the next series. Not to mention the fact there have been new characters added to the Netflix series, who don't feature in the books, so there are sure to be some unexpected twists and turns.
If the TV series follows the books, the third book in the Julia Quinn series 'An Offer from a Gentleman' follows the Bridgerton sibling Benedict played by Luke Thompson. However, Shonda Rhimes was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight ahead of series two and said: "We're definitely planning on following each of the [Bridgerton] sibling's romantic stories. So we're not necessarily going in order—but we are going to be seeing each one of the siblings and their stories".
Many fans believe we could see Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton's (Luke Newton) story play out in the third series. The end of series two links to the start of the fourth book, which follows Colin and Pen's love story.
But whichever couple comes to the forefront of series three, we're sure to see the majority of the cast returning and there are plenty of other storylines in the pipeline that have the potential to develop further in series three.
You can watch series one and two of Bridgerton over on Netflix now.
