I'm not ashamed to admit that I've surrendered to the cultural obsession with Bridgerton's Hot Male Leads every single time, so far. Regé Jean Page was a given; Jonathan Bailey was a little unexpected (but not really) – but now, I find myself double-taking at sweet, sentimental little bro Luke Newton (aka Colin Bridgerton), who's set to be at the centre of the show's next romantic storyline.
It's not lost on me – or the rest of the internet – that Luke, like his co-star Jonathan once did, has undergone something of a transformation between seasons. The fresh-faced Colin we once knew has morphed into someone altogether more smouldering and stubbled, if recent appearances are anything to go by.
At a Bridgerton screening event earlier in February, Luke and co-star Nicola Coughlan made their first official ‘Polin’ appearance – in mutually spectacular 'fits, no less – with Nicola in a full Stella McCartney look and Luke looking swishy (and dishy!) in tonal brown separates. And reader, the chest hair is not going unnoticed.
“SHE BETTER PLAY WITH SOME CHEST HAIR SHE DESERVES,” one TikToker comments, referring (I assume) to future sex scenes between Penelope and Colin. “They better show the man rug,” another joked.
Many fans have noted that it speaks to the genius of Shonda Rhimes that we are already tying this narrative to the next thirsty instalment that we're so eagerly awaiting. “Shonda f*cking Rhimes needs to be put under federal f*cking investigation, because the sorcery that she's doing on these Bridgerton men… it needs to be investigated, okay?” says TikTok creator Nadia Agyekum in her viral video.
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Of course, it's not only Luke who has had one of Bridgerton's leading man transformations. Many have noted that Jonathan Bailey's character, Anthony Bridgerton, also underwent something of a change between series one and two of the show – swapping out his mutton-chops and bouffant side fringe for a clean-cut look and a subtle five o'clock shadow; plus his now iconic ‘puffy white shirt’ that stole one particular scene:
Judging by the stills and clips we've seen of Bridgerton season three, Colin will also be clean-shaven and quiffed as he steps into his leading man role – so Luke's recent appearances (stubble and all) most likely reflect his own personal style journey more prominently, rather than Colin's. But following the release of next season's trailer, it's clear that his character's transformation is something of a storyline, too.
In one snippet, older brother Benedict (yet to have his own instalment), asks a shirtless Colin after his return from his travels: “Brother, under what foreign sun did you apparently get so… sturdy?”
There's no doubting that there's a change from season two to three, since Colin is noticeably more refined, and er, Mr Darcy-ish. A character who once went under the radar as the naive younger brother steps into a role that has historically been one of instant pop cultural mania. Need I remind you of Simon's spoon, or Anthony's aforementioned shirt? What's next… Colin's chest hair?
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You could suppose that these character transformations mirror the journeys of each of the Bridgerton brothers, as they come into their own and find happiness despite life's obstacles (if we're following the timelines of both previous series). But we can also safely assume that Rhimes knows all too well the power of a period drama crush, and the tropes that go along with that.
And while there's thousands of Bridgerton fans on the internet fawning over Luke's supposed transformation, there's others who question the commentary surrounding his appearance. “I get that this a sexy romance show and that there are certain physical expectations that come with that, but these actors get enough of that crap from the studios and the industry, why should we the viewers be piling onto to that?” one Reddit poster writes.
Let's be clear: Luke Newton is great, and his success on the show spans far beyond his looks – plus, the concept of the Hot Male Lead is hardly new – but the Bridgerton glow-up is now officially ‘a thing on the internet’, like it or not. After all, talk has already turned to Luke Thompson, aka Benedict Bridgerton, and his own future leading man moment. Lord help us all.
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