Nicola Coughlan fans expose 'conspiracy' as Bridgerton actress' real age exposed

Nicola Coughlan fans have been speaking of a "conspiracy" as the real age of the Bridgerton and Derry Girls star comes out.

Excitement is building as Bridgerton season three is in sight, with the first half coming out on Netflix on Thursday, May 16, with Coughlan taking centre stage as Lady Penelope Featherington.

But with the spotlight now on the romantic drama's next leading lady, it has come out that the Irish actress was born on January 9, 1987, making her 37-years-old.

Despite her age, the star has taken on characters who are far younger than herself, playing 18-year-old Penelope in Bridgerton, the youngest of the Featherington family.

She shot to fame as schoolgirl Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls, who was 15 when the show started in 2018, while Coughlan herself was around 30 during filming.

Read more: Bridgerton sparks frenzy as Season 3 trailer teases Penelope and Colin's romance

When the star's real age was discovered, fans couldn't help but take to X, formerly Twitter, to share their disbelief.

"How can you look me in the eye and tell me that woman isn't, AT MOST, 25. I refuse to believe it. Conspiracy is afoot", one fan wrote.

Another said: "Just found out that Nicola Coughlan is 37.....THIRTY SEVEN YEARS OF AGE. I'm in shock, she looks in her mid 20s."

A third queried: "What do you mean Nicola Coughlan is almost 40?!", while another said: "Nicola Coughlan is 37?!?! What the hell. I honestly thought she was one of those baby actors like Millie Bobby Brown."

"Nicola Coughlan is a brilliant actress - so hilarious in The Derry Girls. I was flabbergasted to learn that she is 37. I thought she was in her 20s!", a fellow fan wrote.

She is also currently starring in Channel 4 comedy Big Mood with It's A Sin star Lydia West, as a character named Maggie who is closer to her real age at 29.

Coughlan will soon be at the centre of the main love story in Bridgerton season three, with her character Penelope Featherington and love interest Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).

A new Bridgerton trailer was released on Thursday, April 11, teasing what's to come and, as always, it looks like it will be a steamy affair.

At the beginning of the teaser, Penelope says that she cannot stand living at home anymore and must find herself a husband.

In perfect timing, her crush Colin then returns home, more chiselled than before, with his brothers jokingly asking when he got so "sturdy".

Colin offers to help Penelope find herself a husband but as she begins to blossom and become more confident, he starts to question if she is the woman that he really wants.

Bridgerton season three premieres on Thursday, May 16, on Netflix.