Bridgerton season three is finally here, and with it come fresh new courtships and high society scandals to get stuck into.
The latest series of Netflix’s regency romance has also welcomed some new faces to the ton, who have been introduced in the first batch of episodes which dropped last week.
While this season mostly revolves around Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington’s (Nicola Coughlan) friends-to-lovers story, there’s plenty more going on in wider social circles and behind-the-scenes.
Here’s where you might have seen the new additions to the cast before…
Hannah Dodd (Francesca Bridgerton)
After two seasons of standing in the shadows of her sparkling older Bridgerton siblings, Francesca is finally getting a more significant character arc in season three. However, you might have noticed that there’s been a casting change since we last saw her, as Hannah Dodd has replaced Ruby Stokes in the role, who departed the show due to other filming commitments.
Hannah’s biggest role before Bridgerton was playing Sarah Chapman in Enola Holmes 2 opposite Millie Bobby Brown, and she also starred in the 2022 mini-series Flowers In The Attic: The Origin with Frasier’s Kelsey Grammer.
Before that, she had a recurring role in the Hulu original Find Me in Paris, along with roles in Eternals, Pandora and Harlots. More recently, you might recognise her for playing a younger Sienna Miller in Anatomy Of A Scandal.
Hannah New (Lady Tilley Arnold)
Hannah New joins Bridgerton season three as the latest love interest for the free-spirited Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).
She previously starred as Princess Leila in Maleficent, opposite Angelina Jolie, and had a recurring role as Eleanor Guthrie in historical pirate drama Black Sails.
Her other notable TV roles include The Time In Between, The Strain and Trust.
Sam Phillips (Lord Alfred Debling)
The Bridgerton writers really know how to make viewers wait for the Polin romance to finally blossom. In the meantime, Penelope catches the eye of Lord Alfred Debling in season three, a naturalist who’s played by Sam Phillips.
Sam is best known for appearing opposite Olivia Colman in season three and four of The Crown as the equerry (one of the royal family’s many officers).
His other previous TV credits include the short-lived EastEnders spin-off E20, Hotel Trubble, The Syndicate and This England.
Sam is also rumoured to be dating co-star Bessie Carter (who plays Prudence), linking him once again to The Crown as her mum is none other than Imelda Staunton.
Daniel Francis (Lord Marcus Anderson)
Daniel’s character does not actually appear in the original Bridgerton books. Lord Marcus Anderson is, in fact, a character written just for the series, and is brother to the influential Lady Danbury.
The actor’s biggest roles so far have included playing The Princess And The Frog villain Doctor Facilier in fairytale reimagining Once Upon A Time and Dave Shaw in Netflix’s miniseries Stay Close. He also appears as Esmond Smith in one episode of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series.
Elsewhere, you might have watched him in fantasy series The Wheel Of Time with Rosamund Pike, British-French thriller Liaison or UK mini-series Homefront.
David Mumeni
David Mumeni plays Lord Samadani in Bridgerton season three, the suitor that Queen Charlotte hopes could be Francesca Bridgerton’s perfect match.
You might remember him as Cem in Stath Lets Flats or Russell in Dead Pixels, which was executive produced by Peep Show’s Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.
He even had a brief role in the film of the summer playing “Footrub Ken” in the Barbie movie, along with previous credits in The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Johnny English Strikes Again.
James Phoon
The new season of Bridgerton begins by revealing that Prudence Featherington has a new husband called Harry Dankworth, who is played by James Phoon, after former fiancé Lord Featherington is ousted by Portia Featherington.
The actor made his West End debut in Harry Potter play The Cursed Child as Craig Bowker Junior, as well as being the Scorpius Malfoy understudy.
But on the screen, his biggest role has been playing Hamish Campbell in British horror comedy Wreck, and he’s also done extensive voice work on a number of video games including Total War: Warhammer III.
Victor Alli
We’ve already seen sparks fly between the Earl of Kilmartin, John Stirling and Francesca, and he’s, of course, set to return when the next four episodes of season three drop next month.
Victor Alli’s previous roles include playing a soldier in Kenneth Branagh’s Oscar-nominated 2021 film Belfast. He was also in the TV mini-series Last Light, and episodes of Star Wars spin-off Andor and the TV adaptation of The Man Who Fell To Earth with Chiwetel Ejiofor.
The first half of Bridgerton season three is available to watch now on Netflix, with the next four episodes set to drop on Thursday 13 June.