Nicola Coughlan has addressed those Bridgerton photoshop claims in a powerful statement

Bridgerton season 3 new trailer
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bridgerton is one of the most talked-about shows of the moment, with the second instalment of season three officially landing on Netflix.

The long-awaited second instalment focuses mainly on the love story between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington (Lady Whistledown herself). And unsurprisingly, it has been dominating headlines.

Yes, from the resurgence of regency core and Francesca Bridgerton’s surprise recasting, to the royal family member who is desperate for a cameo, Bridgerton season three is all anyone can talk about.

This week, it was Nicola Coughlan who made headlines, breaking her silence on the online comments speculating that her waist was photoshopped in the series.

"I think if you wear corsetry for long enough, your body really molds to it,” the 37-year-old explained in an interview with People Magazine.

"Sometimes they come in a fitting for a fashion designer and they put a corset on me and I’m like, ‘Oh, you can go tight,’” she recalled. “And they go, ‘What do you mean?’ I’m like, ‘My body now will go whew.’”

Coughlan's words come amid the online trolling she has experienced, receiving social media comments about the photoshop speculation.

“I saw some trolls," Coughlan stated. "They were like, ‘They photoshopped your waist,’ and I was like, ‘No, they did not.’”

Dialogue about Coughlan's body seems to have consumed the series, with the actress previously explaining that it actually inspired her decision to be "very naked on camera" for season three.

"I specifically asked for certain lines and moments to be included,” she explained in an interview with Stylist earlier this year. “There’s one scene where I’m very naked on camera, and that was my idea, my choice. It just felt like the biggest ‘fuck you’ to all the conversation surrounding my body; it was amazingly empowering.”

Bridgerton season three part one and two are now both available to watch on Netflix.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.