Nicola Coughlan Recalls Pranking Luke Newton on ‘Bridgerton’ Set After Learning About His Boy Band Past

Nicola Coughlan has disclosed a practical joke that she played on Luke Newton, her fellow actor in Bridgerton, after getting informed that he used to be a member of a male group.

In a recent interview with People magazine, the actor who portrays Penelope Featherington was questioned about her preferred moments behind the scenes during filming. The actor replied, "We had an enjoyable instance in one of the balls where Luke was supposed to barge in and disrupt a dance."

She kept talking and said, "I learnt a few years ago that Luke used to be a part of a boy band, and it was the most amazing thing I ever heard. For quite some time, I had been planning to play a prank on him where he would come to perform a dance, but instead of the music for the show, I would play his song from his boy band. However, this prank required extensive planning and was quite difficult to execute."

During the interview held together, Newton shared his thoughts about the scene, saying it was "fantastic," and Coughlan admitted feeling anxious when the joke commenced.

"I recall that we had already planned when it was going to happen and we had positioned the cameras to focus on him. It was adorable because he joined me on the dance floor, interrupted the dance, and we started dancing together. Then, you made a puzzled face," she told Newton while making a confused expression herself. "They recorded everything, but I have only seen a small part of it. I am eagerly looking forward to watching the complete video."

Newton stated that he had a feeling that something was about to happen because he sensed a change in the atmosphere of the room just prior to the practical joke being played.

"It was quite peculiar as I sensed this rather odd vibe," he expressed. "I felt as if individuals were glancing over their shoulders at me, and I began to wonder if they were anxious about me performing this dance. Nonetheless, I am completely fine and confident that we will manage to carry out the dance successfully."

The thespian went on to say, "Suddenly, I perceived it because I had an earpiece in at the beginning. I only heard a faint ticking sound and thought to myself, 'This sounds very familiar...' Then, the music began blasting through the speakers and all the performers started dancing and the crowd cheered." Coughlan chimed in, "The whole ensemble was full of energy and excitement!"

Although the trick went according to Coughlan's plan, she confessed that she felt extremely anxious during filming. She stated that she had never been more nervous on set, not even during a sex scene. She was concerned that if anything went awry, the whole thing could fall apart.

However, both of them share the same opinion that the dance sequence featured in the popular Netflix series "will forever bring back" memories of that practical joke.

Take a look at The Hollywood Reporter's comprehensive coverage of season three of Bridgerton by clicking here. The first part is available for streaming on Netflix, and the second part will be available on the platform on June 13th.