Dearest readers, we have *news.* Netflix just surprised us all with the cutest teaser trailer for Bridgerton Season 3 and May 16 officially can’t come soon enough.

In the quick 30-second spot, we’re treated to a single scene of new footage instead of the more traditional montage-style trailer.

Specifically, it’s all about Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton having a moment alone that is more than a little awkward. In the scene, Penelope, played by Nicola Coughlan, kind of accidentally hits on Colin, played by Luke Newton, by commenting on his eyes.

“Your eyes are such a remarkable shade of blue,” she says, staring into them. “But somehow they shine even brighter when you are kind.”

Then, when she realizes that she has come on pretty strong, she walks it back, adding, “I might say something like that if you were a suitor.”

“Well, that was rather direct,” he says, before bolting from the room.

Drama!

We’ve known for a bit that this next season will focus on Penelope and Colin — thanks to the books the show is based on — but now we know, at least a little bit, how that’s going to look on screen. Now just to survive winter and get to spring.

The last time we heard news of Season 3 was back in December, when Netflix gifted us with a release date. Or should we say release dates, plural? That’s right; not only do we now know when the next highly anticipated installment of the Regency-era series will arrive, but we also know the season will be delivered in two parts. You are cordially invited to devour all of the details below.

After fans blew through Season 2, attention immediately turned to what’s next for the beloved Bridgerton family. And fortunately, the steamy show full of romance, sex, fashion, sex (did we mention sex?), mystery, and scandal has already been greenlit through Season 4.

Back to the topic at hand, Bridgerton Season 3 will be here before you know it. Here’s everything to know so far.

When does the next season drop?

On Dec. 12, Netflix revealed that the ever-popular series will premiere in May 2024. The first half (four episodes) will drop on May 16, and the second half (another four episodes) will drop on June 13.

In a teaser trailer released on social media, Lady Whistledown teases, “Gentle reader, you thought I was silenced, but you thought wrong.”

Considering Netflix first announced production for Season 3 was underway in London back in July 2022, this feels like a long-overdue revelation. However, Lady Whistledown sounds like she’s ready to spill some piping hot Regency Society tea, so we’re assuming Season 3 will have been worth the wait.

What’s happened in the series up to this point?

Spoiler alert! This section contains plot points pertinent to prior seasons.

Season 1 took us through Daphne Bridgerton’s (Phoebe Dynevor) love story with the handsome Simon Basset — aka the Duke of Hastings — played by Rege-Jean Page. The sexy scenes these two shared were a large part of why this show became so popular so quickly, although the tantalizing orchestral soundtrack and quick wit of the other characters certainly contributed to the streaming numbers. Then again, it’s a show with Shonda Rhimes at the helm, so you know it’s going to be good.

Season 2 gave us the slow burn of Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) — totally different from Season 1 but still just as hot! It’s also important to note that Page, the breakout star of Season 1 as the Duke, was notably absent from Season 2.

Whose love story will Season 3 follow?

Although author Julia Quinn’s third book centers around Penelope and Colin’s relationship, the upcoming installment of the Netflix series will largely focus on the budding romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). While things start off rocky for “Polin” (she essentially gave up on her longtime crush after hearing him say disparaging things about her in Season 2), she’s ready to move forward.

According to the season synopsis, “She has decided it’s time to take a husband, and preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters.” Alas, her attempts on the marriage mart “fail spectacularly.”

Colin, meanwhile, returns from his summer travels with some new swagger. When he realizes his best friend — the one person who always accepted him for him — isn’t speaking to him, he decides to win back her friendship by offering to help her find a husband. And, well, you can see where this is going.

Lady Whistledown is also still chattering about all of the people in town — which low-key comes back to haunt her. Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), who happens to be the IRL Lady Whistledown’s bestie (we’re talking about Penelope), is snooping around trying to figure out who’s behind the gossip column… and does.

Who will be in the cast of Bridgerton Season 3?

We can make a few assumptions about who will be in Season 3 of the show — namely, the central characters. Returning are:

• Coughlan (Penelope Featherington/Lady Whistledown)
• Julie Andrews ( the voice of Lady Whistledown)
• Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
• Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton)
• Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton)
• Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte)
• Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury)
• Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton)
• Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley)
• Hannah Dodd (Francesca Bridgerton)
• Simone Ashley (Kate Sharma)
• Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton)
• Harriet Cains (Philipa Featherington)
• Bessie Carter (Prudence Featherington)
• Jessica Madsen (Cressida Cowper)
• Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton)
• Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich)
• Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton)
• Polly Walker (Portia Featherington)

Sadly, it’s been confirmed that Dynevor will not be back as Daphne, and we all know by now that Page doesn’t plan to return either.

There will be new blood(lines), though. On July 20, 2022, Netflix shared a few suitors joining the marriage mart: Marcus Anderson (played by Daniel Francis), Lord Debling (played by Sam Phillips), and Harry Dankworth (played by James Phoon).

This article was originally published on Feb. 25, 2022