Fans are worried that Penelope Featherington might not appear is season five of the hit show

Nicola Coughlan skyrocketed to a new level of fame this summer after the release of the third season of the hit Netflix show Bridgerton, but fans are already worried that she might leave their screens soon.

The Irish actress plays the role of People Featherington in Bridgerton and her character’s love story featured as the main storyline in the most recent season, with some racy scenes in particular getting people talking.

Coughlan, who was already a household name after starring in Derry Girls, has been applauded for her performance in the show and she’s already been tipped to pick up awards for her work.

Fans were delighted when she confirmed that she would appear in the next season of the show last month. However, there is already speculation that the Co Galway native might not return after season four comes to an end.

Bridgerton is an adaptation of a series of eight novels by Julia Quinn. The most recent season was based on the fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.

So far, Netflix has dedicated a season to each Bridgerton sibling, with season four expected to follow the stories of either Francesa (Hannah Dodd), Benedict (Luke Thompson), or Eloise (Claudia Jessie).

The fifth book in Quinn’s series, To Sir Phillip With Love, follows the story of Eloise, who is best friends with Coughlan’s character Penelope Featherington.

Penelope is mentioned in the book several times but the character does move out of focus. Once the series switches to another sibling, it is expected that Penelope’s role will further dwindle.

There are already bets in the bookies that Coughlan could leave when that happens, similarly to how actor Regé-Jean Page exited the show after starring as its main focus in the inaugural season.

James Leyfield of Casinos.com said:“Penelope is mentioned several times in the fifth book, but her mentions certainly dwindle compared to Julia’s debut Bridgerton book, The Duke and I, and second Bridgerton novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, while Penelope also had plenty of coverage in The Viscount Who Loved Me.

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“As a result, this could mean Penelope’s Bridgerton days might be up in season four. Nicola is 6/4 to have just one more series in the show.”

The odds of Coughlan’s final appearance being in the fifth season are currently 2/1 and the sixth are 4/1. So far, Netflix has only announced the renewal of the show to season four, but it is expected to continue as long as it keeps tracking its successful figures.

There might not be reason to worry just yet. Season four is due to begin filming later this year but showrunners said that fans could be waiting up to two years for its release.