LOS ANGELES, May 15 (Reuters) - When Nicola Coughlan and

Luke Newton were preparing to film Season 3 of the regency era

romance series "Bridgerton," they knew they were going from

supporting characters to main characters. And it was scary.

Coughlan remembers feeling relaxed while watching the

couples from the first two seasons perform because the biggest

pressure wasn't on her yet.

"As supporting actors you can go, 'I'll do my little bit but

it doesn't really matter because the main story is over there,'"

she told Reuters.

However, that was no longer the case when she and Newton

stepped forward as the leading couple for the third season of

the Emmy-nominated show.

"For us to then go into being the main story, I think it

overwhelms us still," said the Irish actress.

"Bridgerton," developed by Shonda Rhimes' television

production company Shondaland and Netflix ( NFLX ), follows the

romantic journeys of the Bridgerton family as they navigate

London's ruthless marriage market.

Set in the early 1800s, the story focuses on the scandals

and successes of the social season as young marriageable

nobility looks for love.

Season 3, which arrives on the streaming platform on

Thursday, follows the highly anticipated friends-to-lovers

romantic arc between characters Penelope Featherington and Colin

Bridgerton, played by Coughlan and Newton.

"The friends-to-lover's trope, I think a lot of people

resonate with that and have experienced that," said Newton.

"I think that's why people are really passionate and excited

for the season," he added.

Similarly, the show's new showrunner for Season 3, Jess

Brownell, feels like the romance between Colin and Pen is a huge

draw for viewers this time around.

"Because it's a friends-to-lovers story, it naturally lends

itself to a bit more humor, lightness, of playfulness, and a

familiarity," said Brownell, who follows in series creator Chris

Van Dusen's footsteps.

"I think that humor especially is something that really

speaks to both Nicola and Luke's strength."

While the book series the show is based on by author Julia

Quinn features a different love story before getting to Pen and

Colin's, Brownell felt like TV audiences would appreciate a

unique chronological order.

"Pen and Colin have been on our screens now for two seasons.

We know them and we care about them," Brownell said.

"It felt like it was time to break out of the pattern of

Colin being in the dark about Pen's feelings for him. We wanted

to twist things in a different direction and make him work for

Pen's affections," she added.