Luke Newton on course for Hollywood as Bridgerton's leading man

• Luke Newton, 31, plays Colin Bridgerton, who will take a central role in the new series, which is release on May 16th 
• Read more: Bridgerton ‘returns to its racy roots as season three promises to be steamiest yet with threesome scene and lesbian romp’

The first and second series of Bridgerton, Netflix’s resolutely steamy period drama, made instant heartthrobs of its leading men; Rege-Jean Page won hearts – and loins – as the Duke of Hastings, while Jonathan Bailey wooed as Anthony Viscount Bridgerton.

As anticipation mounts for the third series – the first four episodes are unleashed on May 16th followed by the final four on June 13th, Colin Bridgerton, played by 31-year-old Luke Newton, is the latest aristo to move into the spotlight and get pulses racing.

Fans of the show are already familiar with dashing cad Colin; one of the eight Bridgerton siblings wreaking havoc in 19th century high society who was a regular in series one and two.

Nicola teased what fans can expect from the sex scenes, telling Entertainment Weekly: ‘We did break a piece of furniture while doing one scene. It’s a little bit like a stunt in which they’re like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna do this, this, and this’

Newton originally auditioned for the part of the Duke, losing out to Rege-Jean Page… but it looks like season three is finally his time to shine, as Colin’s racy love life, including an ongoing romance with Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) will serve as this season’s major plot thread.

The post-Bridgerton path? It almost always leads to Hollywood, with both Page and Jonathan Bailey both enjoying stellar career opportunities since hanging up their britches.

Rumours that this will be the raciest season of the show to date – which, if you’ve watched the first two, takes some doing – also suggest that many of the steamiest scenes will involve Newton’s character.

Here we go again: The third series of Bridgerton, airing next month, will once again revisit the fictional 19th century Bridgerton family, with Luke Newton taking on a central role this time around as Colin Bridgerton (second from left)

Looking dapper: Luke pictured at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in November; the star is likely to become hot property after taking the lead role in the upcoming latest series of Bridgerton

Viewers should brace for menage a trois and dalliances with ladies of the night all on the period drama menu.

For Newton, the leading role in such a high profile series is the culmination of a career that began in his teens – and has seen its highs and lows.

The actor has been open about his childhood diagnosis of ADHD and dyslexia, describing learning scripts as ‘his worst nightmare’, and the path to fame began with a boy band flop.

Here, FEMAIL looks at Newton’s career and family life…

EARLY CAREER: A BOYBAND FLOP AND DISNEY’S ANSWER TO HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

In 2012, ‘Sussex’s answer to One Direction’ launched, with Newton’s pop career looking promising when the band signed a £1million record deal…however, four years later the hits hadn’t turned up and the band split

Disney’s The Lodge, which aired in 2016, was billed as the UK’s version of High School Musical – and saw Luke star as Ben Evans (Pictured bottom row, second from left)

Newton starred as Ben Evans in the 2016 Disney Channel musical series, which ran until 2017

With the strapline ‘Four lads in desperate need of some Cougar attention’, the cards were already on the table for boyband South 4.

Luke’s first foray with fame had looked promising, the quartet signed a £1million record deal in 2012 and they were billed as ‘Sussex’s answer to One Direction’.

However, in spite of plenty of promo – including the boys stripping off with just a union jack to cover their modesty, the pop hits didn’t materialise and the band split in 2016.

It was onwards and upwards for Newton though, he was quickly cast in Britain’s answer to High School Musical

Disney show The Lodge, which featured nine original tracks, was filmed in Northern Ireland and starred young actors from across the British Isles. Although the couple didn’t go public, it’s thought that Newton dated co-star Sophie Simnett, who played Skye in the series for two years.

DATING LIFE…INCLUDING BREAK UP WITH JADE LOUISE DAVIES

Although neither confirmed the relationship, Luke is said to have enjoyed a two-year romance while in his early twenties with his The Lodge co-star Sophie Simnett

After dating West End star Jade Louise Davies for four years, the couple, pictured at the Bridgerton Season 2 premiere, split last year

After reportedly romancing his The Lodge co-star Sophie Simnett, Newton began dating West End star Jade Louise Davies, sister of Love Island star Amber.

Theatre actress Jade, who has tread the boards in prestigious productions like Les Miserables and Phantom Of The Opera, was also a member of the choir The Welsh Of The West End which appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.

The couple began dating in 2019, and were a regular fixture at the Bridgerton premieres…but are thought to have gone their separate ways last year, leaving the Netflix star single and firmly focused on his acting career.

FAMILY LIFE AND A COVID TRAGEDY

Newton remains close to his parents and younger sister, Lauren, who hail from Sussex. In 2021, the star lost his grandfather Ken to Covid, following a family Christmas together

Newton grew up in Shoreham on England’s south coast, where he met his South 4 bandmates, and trained at the London School of Musical Theatre. The star remains close to his parents, who are divorced, and younger sister Lauren.

In 2021, the family were left devastated when Luke’s grandfather died of Covid following a festive gathering, in which many of the actor’s family members fell ill with the virus.

Luke’s mum Lucy told Sussex Express after fundraising in her father’s memory that the family had enjoyed watching Luke playing Colin Bridgerton in the first episode of the series.

BRIDGERTON BREAKTHROUGH

The new season’s focus on Colin and Penelope could see actor Luke follow in the footsteps of Rege-Jean Page who found worldwide fame after his leading role of the Duke of Hastings in season one.

Jonathan also saw his star rise after his lead role in season two and he will next be seen opposite Ariana Grande in the film adaptation of Wicked.

Much of the new season will focus on  the friends-to-lovers storyline of Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton’s Colin Bridgerton

Clinch: The period drama romps are set to increase in the latest series, with Colin Bridgerton juggling threesomes and dalliances with sex workers in the series

Bridgerton fans are in for a treat as the Netflix show has returned to its racy roots for season three

The new episodes will reportedly feature a lesbian sex scene, threesomes and oral sex in what promises to be a steamier instalment than the more reserved season two

Nicola recently teased what fans can expect from the sex scenes, telling Entertainment Weekly: ‘We did break a piece of furniture while doing one scene. It’s a little bit like a stunt in which they’re like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna do this, this, and this’.

‘But then they gave us freedom and we had a lot of say in how we did those scenes and what we wanted to do. That makes you feel quite empowered.

‘So we felt super. They were actually really enjoyable. I didn’t think they would be. It was fun.’

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