Nicola Coughlan has revealed that Bridgerton made a PG version of the series for her leaving out the racy sex scenes in the show so she could watch it with her Catholic family.

The Irish actress, 37, who plays Penelope Featherington in the steamy Netflix show, engages in many passionate trysts with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).

The cliff-hanger ending of the fourth episode shows the pair locked in a very intimate embrace in the back of a horse-drawn cart.

And the second instalment released on June 13 is expected to feature Nicola in one ‘very naked’ sex scene.

But she has now revealed that for her family – including her parents Martin and Beatrice – to be able to watch her in the huge show, there has been a more toned down version made too.

She told The Sun: ‘It’s literally written into my contract. People think I’m saying it as a joke. I grew up Irish Catholic, that’s just not how we vibe.’

Nicola grew up in the very Catholic county of Galway in Ireland where many religious people are opposed to sex outside of marriage.

Season three of Bridgerton landed on Netflix on Thursday morning, with eager fans settling down to devour the latest antics of the Regency era romantics.

The romp-fest came under fire for its lack of steamy scenes in the second series, with a meagre three minutes of bedroom action amid eight hours and 29 minutes of screen time.

Viewers can already expect more from the first four episodes of series three, with at least six minutes of kissing, sex, threesomes and lesbian love-making.

But after being promised that this season is the steamiest yet, viewers are made to wait until the closing moments of part one for the central love story to really kick off.

Series three focuses on the will-they-won’t-they flirtation between Penelope and Colin Bridgerton, but the plotline of best friends realising their true feelings proves to be a slow burner.

Instead, most of the action between Penelope and Colin promises to come when part two arrives on June 13.

Viewers were shocked when they learned they have to wait four weeks for Penelope’s answer, with one penning on social media platform X: ‘I knew there would be some sort of cliffhanger that left me unwell at the end but I wasn’t prepared for that LAST LINE’;

‘Who made the diabolical decision to split it into two parts, on a cliffhanger like that’;

‘Not the cliffhanger ending. I need part 2 NOWWW’

‘What do you mean @netflix I have to wait another month!??? Was two years not enough!?????’

‘Personally I found the first three episodes kinda slow, the side stories not engaging enough. Like if it was the first season or a stand-alone season, I would probably be slightly bored but the first two seasons really did so much for this and the coming seasons.’

‘I am not a writer, still think the script could have been better. There is too much but yet not enough if that makes sense. Acting is good, not a critique there.’

‘Enough with flirty Colin if I do not see that boy YEARN and PINE over Penelope Featherington by the end of episode one, I don’t want it’.

Other fan favourite couples are seen enjoying newlywed bliss and secret dalliances.

Fans are treated to an update on married life for series two’s main characters Lord Anthony and Kate Sharma.

In fact, Anthony and Kate are in the first sex scene of the new series, which takes places 31 minutes into the first episode.

Fans were thrilled to see series two’s main characters Lord Anthony and Kate Sharma return in series three, after the close of the previous season saw the fan favourite couple marry.

The new episodes see the newlyweds enjoying married life after returning home from their honeymoon.

Elsewhere Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) and Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe) also share a very steamy kiss in the first four episodes.

And Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) is seen embarking on a secret affair with widow, Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New), despite an age gap.

Meanwhile, Colin has two threesome’s – but to viewers disappointment, neither include Penelope.

The bachelor has returned from his world travels and is keen to continue to enjoy the single life, visiting various women for steamy encounters, including two threesomes.

Colin and Penelope’s passion is instead a slow burner as the pair slowly come to realise their true feelings for one another.

Colin is seen having a racy dream about his friend in episode three after the two share a brief but passionate kiss, leaving the bachelor very confused about his feelings.

Seeing his friend in his dreams, Colin imagines more sizzling interactions with Penelope.

He is later involved in another threesome but can’t help thinking about his friend.

Season three ends on a steamy cliffhanger as after being unable to think of anyone else, Colin eventually declares his love for Penelope in a carriage after she was left heartbroken by Lord Debling.

The pair finally give into their passions, with Colin lifting up Penelope’s dress in the back of the carriage for a very steamy finale.

Just as the fans are begging for more, even the characters in the new series are left wanting.

Portia (Polly Walker) urges her daughters to get pregnant as questions surround their family fortune, and is seen asking her girls: ‘Must we tell a baker to bake?’ leading to the Featherington sisters competing in the bedroom to be the first to make an heir.

Nicola revealed that series three of Bridgerton will be even raunchier than the previous two.

The actress previously admitted she was initially terrified to film sex scenes with Luke.

Nicola shared: ‘I think we’ve won the sauciness for this series! I am so excited, I can’t wait. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Luke Newton who plays my love interest is so wonderful.’

Fans can expect more action in the second drop of episodes, with Nicola telling The Sun: ‘It’s steamy. I was like, ‘Oh wow, are we really doing that?’

She also revealed on Wednesday in an interview with the Radio Times: ‘There is one where I am very naked on camera and that was my idea, my choice.

‘It just felt like the biggest ‘f*** you’ to all the conversations surrounding my body. It was amazingly empowering. Having now watched those scenes, I’m so proud of them.’

Nicola also confirmed that she and co-star Luke got ‘so comfortable’ that they would lounge together naked in between filming sex scenes.