Nicola Coughlan Scales Back Bridgerton Season 5 Role While Filming Only Murders in the Building
Nicola Coughlan will appear in fewer episodes of Bridgerton Season 5, a consequence of her concurrent filming schedule on Season 6 of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. Deadline
Coughlan described the reduced presence as "so nice and low pressure" while she juggled both productions, according to E! News. She also called the experience "bittersweet," a sentiment she shared in remarks reported by Town & Country and Yahoo Entertainment.
The actress led Bridgerton Season 3 as Penelope Featherington opposite Luke Newton's Colin Bridgerton, a pairing she has called an "incredible experience" Deadline. Her performance earned her a 2025 SAG Award nomination Deadline. The Bridgerton contract she signed also includes an unusual clause: a PG version of the show must be produced for her parents to watch, a detail she first revealed in April 2024 Deadline.
In June 2026, Coughlan was announced as one of several British talents joining Only Murders in the Building for its sixth season Deadline. The new season relocates the central trio — Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez — to London, following the mysterious death of Tina Fey's character Cinda Canning Deadline. Coughlan has since wrapped production on the season and announced the milestone on her official Instagram account.
For Bridgerton fans, the silver lining is that Coughlan has no intention of disappearing for good. She said she will "always pop back to Bridgerton" if the producers want her, adding that she would happily appear as "set dressing" Deadline.
The arrangement highlights a practical reality of modern television: performers signed to one streaming series can still feature on another when schedules align. Coughlan's dual role across Netflix and Hulu this year is a product of that flexibility — and of an actress with no shortage of demand.
