Why Has Bridgerton S3 Been Delayed For So Long, And When Will It Premiere?

Ever since Netflix announced the production of the Bridgerton series, fans of the book franchise of the same name have been ecstatic. Julia Quinn's historical romances focused on the life of an aristocratic family in 1800s London, with each book covering the love story of each sibling.

From the eldest, Anthony, to the youngest, Hyacinth, all of the Bridgerton siblings were forced to navigate adulthood in very different ways before finally finding happiness.

Adapted to the screen by Shonda Rhimes, the show was supposed to have 8 seasons to match the number of books but immediately faced various production problems. From the season 1 lead leaving the show with no bridges to return to the struggles of filming during the global pandemic, to the writer and actor strikes, the Bridgerton team still can't catch a break.

Unfortunately for the fans, this also means some delays between seasons. Season 1 of Bridgerton premiered back in December 2020, making it a perfect Christmas watch. Many fans thought this would be a tradition, but production couldn't keep up, and the next season wasn't released until May 2022.

Now that it's been almost a year and a half since the last season premiered, fans can't help but wonder when season 3 will be released. And why hasn't it been released yet?

Production is over

You might think that the show isn't ready to release season 3 because of the long production problems. However, according to the reports that came out back in the spring of 2023, the season has completely finished filming back in April.

Furthermore, the show's executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, has shared that she has been working with the footage and editing herself:

“I can't tell you anything. But we've finished filming and editing. I'm having a lot of fun working on cuts to the show,” she said while speaking to Virgin Radio UK.

A few months later, another piece of evidence confirming that Bridgerton season 3 is completely finished was dropped by Netflix at an event called Netflix TUDUM. The event was held in Brazil and featured several Netflix stars, including Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington on the show.

Since Penelope is a big part of the third season storyline, which revolves around Colin Bridgerton and his love life, all eyes were on her, hoping she'd be the one to announce the date. Sadly, that didn't happen.

Fans were left with a few "first look" snippets and a very confusing tweet from the Netflix Brazil X (formerly known as Twitter) account.

An unfortunate leak or a real mistake?

During one of the live tweeting sessions that an official Netflix Brazil account held to cover the events of the TUDUM conference, a tweet announced an official release date for Bridgerton season 3. As it was stated, the season would premiere on December 14, 2023, making it another Christmas release.

However, any hopes fans may have had were dashed when the post was removed from the account almost immediately.

To this day, there has been no mention of the incident from Bridgerton's production team or Netflix. While some fans and media tend to believe that the information was true but leaked earlier than it should have been, others think that it may have been a genuine mistake that's now been blown out of proportion.

However, many Bridgerton fans are still hoping that Netflix will drop the show on this day as a surprise without any promotion. Especially considering the fact that promotion is not an option while the SAG-AFTRA strike continues.

Why is Bridgerton season 3 delayed?

Although there is no official information from the show's production team or Netflix representatives, fans have some theories that can help you better understand the possible reasons behind the delay.

The SAG AFTRA and WGA strikes could easily be one of them. Although production was seemingly over by the time the strikes began, that would mean season 3 would be released with little to no promotion. While Bridgerton's level of popularity allows for such moves, it also relies heavily on the chemistry between the actors.

Missing out on all of Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton's interactions would be a huge loss for the studio.

Another possible reason for the delay is the success of Bridgerton's spinoff, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which was released in May. The story was so well received by both viewers and critics that it wouldn't be surprising if the platform wanted it to be *the* Bridgerton release of 2023.

Whatever the reason for such a delay, it's safe to say that fans are beginning to lose hope of seeing season 3 released by the end of this year. On the bright side, though, they don't seem to be losing an ounce of passion for the lead couple, so you can bet that when the premiere does happen, the internet will be flooded with reactions.

Be sure to stay tuned for all the important news and behind-the-scenes updates on the Bridgerton season 3 premiere!

Source: Virgin Radio UK