Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan fans, you good? As paparazzi photos go, these were rather innocuous: a series of snaps of Bridgerton star Luke Newton leaving the London after-party for the premiere of the second half of the show’s third season. Behind him, his supposed girlfriend, dancer Antonia Roumelioti, gives photogs a slightly wary smile. But to some Bridgerton fans, the photo was a five-alarm fire. “I am speechless.
But that’s also led to some extremes, like obsessively mining photos and videos of Coughlan and Newton on the press tour for clues that they’re actually in love. It’s not that hard to see why. The duo has been playing the part, smiling and holding hands for the audience to promote the show, as is the typical strategy. But by bringing his real-life girlfriend to celebrate the series with him, Newton poured cold water on these fantasies.