Season 3 Of 'Bridgerton' Sparks Controversy With 'Mixed-Weight' Romance

As in previous seasons, there was no shortage of bodice-ripping heat between Colin and Penelope, but some people weren't happy about it.

The third season of Netflix’s “Bridgerton” has drawn critical praise and record-breaking viewership, but recent discourse around the series’ central coupling has drawn a chorus of dissenting voices among fans.

Season 3 of “Bridgerton,” which began airing in May, was focused on the burgeoning relationship between Colin Bridgerton (played by Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).

As in previous seasons, there was no shortage of bodice-ripping heat between Colin and Penelope, who were affectionately nicknamed “Polin” by viewers. A Forbes article published last week, however, has sparked debate for questioning whether the world was “ready” to see a “mixed-weight romance” depicted on-screen.

“If this romance upsets you, it says more about how deeply you’ve internalized fatphobia than it says about the bodies of the actors playing Penelope and Colin,” the article said.

The Forbes piece also linked to two other articles to support its claim. One of them, published by the U.K.’s The Spectator in May, described Coughlan simply as “not hot.”