Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh thinks fans should prepare themselves for the heat Penelope and Colin are about to bring in season 3.
“Spice will be absolutely in evidence in many ways,” Andoh, 61, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting International Delight’s Bridgerton-inspired creamers and iced coffee. “So that’ll be fun and interesting for those people who particularly enjoy that.”
Andoh has portrayed Lady Danbury on the Netflix series since its premiere in 2020. Her role as the widowed woman of the Ton will come into play for season 3 in particular, as Andoh told Us her single status will help form a “connection” with Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington – a third-year debutante who remains unwed.
“I think we’ll see how she understands what’s going on with Penelope because of her own experience,” the actress explained. “That thing of being the kind of looked over woman. The woman who, in Penelope’s case, she’s never going to marry.”
Netflix confirmed in May 2022 that Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington would be the focus of season 3. The third season will be the first time the show jumps out of order from Julia Quinn’s books that inspired the series, as Colin and Penelope’s love story was explored in Quinn’s fourth novel, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.
Andoh is stepping back into the shoes of Lady Danbury for season 3 after reprising the role for Queen Charlotte. The Bridgerton prequel gave fans a glimpse at young Lady Danbury’s (Arsema Thomas) earlier years, where she endured her loveless marriage to husband Herman (Cyril Ari) and his subsequent death, gained her title and formed a deep friendship with the queen (Gold Rosheuvel/India Ria Amarteifio).
“I think for me, season 3, having the knowledge of young Lady Danbury, how she got to be here, how she’s managed to stay in the game and make her way through the world, I think that will enrich the experience of watching season 3,” Andoh told Us. “It certainly enriched my experience of playing Lady Danbury, knowing that the audience would be up to speed with who I am and where I’m from in a broader way than they would’ve been before Queen Charlotte came out.”
Andoh teased that season 3 will see Lady Danbury experiencing “wobbles” from the introduction of a new element into her life she’ll be forced to “deal” with. Fans will also witness more of her bond with the Bridgerton family now that her secret love for Violet Bridgerton’s (Ruth Gemmell) father, Lord Ledger, was revealed in Queen Charlotte.
“You will understand the deep affection that she holds for this family, for Violet most particularly, but also of course for Violet’s children as a result of her love for Lord Ledger,” Andoh explained, calling Queen Charlotte a “springboard” for the flagship series.
“[The prequel enriched] my relationships with Queen Charlotte and Lady Violet in particular, because those friends you’ve had since you were at school, they know you,” she continued. “They remember you in that ridiculous, awful uniform. They remember your acne and your heart. I feel that now when audiences come to season 3, they will see those women as the young women that they were, and they will know that they have gone on that journey through their lives together in this environment. I find that rather beautiful.”
Viewers will have to wait until May for part 1 of Bridgerton season 3, with part 2 set to premiere in June. To help hold fans over — and get them in the mood for romance — the Shondaland series teamed up with International Delight for its “Coffee & Courting” dating event on February 22 to give NYC singles the opportunity to meet their most desirable match.
International Delight has also launched its limited edition Bridgerton-inspired creamers and iced coffee, including International Delight Berries & Crème Creamer, International Delight English Toffee Creamer and International Delight Berries & Crème Iced Coffee. As a self-proclaimed coffee “obsessed” brood, Andoh said she and her family can’t get enough of the new delicious flavors, which happen to be the perfect treat for two people looking for love.
“They work very well for my palette,” she told Us. “We had conversations about, how you do those first dates, especially in the 21st century when everybody’s fairly frenetic in the way that they live? Everything’s at a fast pace. People go on dating sites and do all that sort of thing, and we’re all sort of driven by our devices. There’s something I think, and I have kids and they do dating and I dated in a different era I guess, but I think there’s something very mellow and chill about having a coffee date.”
