WATCH: Netflix releases Bridgerton season 3 trailer starring Irish actress Nicola Coughlan

Netflix has finally released the long awaited trailer for Bridgerton season 3. 

The series - which exploded in popularity upon its initial release four years ago - is set in Regency London and follows the lives and loves of the Bridgerton family and their peers, with each season focusing on a different couple. 

Based on the books by Julia Quinn, the series has consistently broken records with each subsequent season, and the third installment is expected to be no different. 

Season one followed eldest Bridgerton daughter, Daphne, as she pursued a feigned courtship that resulted in very real love with former rake the Duke of Hastings, while season two followed the eldest Bridgerton son, Anthony, as he navigated the complexities of choosing a wife from between two sisters, Edwina and Kate. 

The third season will follow wallflower Penelope Featherington (played by Irish actress Nicola Coughlan) as she tries to secure a husband with the help of her friend (and unrequited love) Colin Bridgerton. 

Up until the impending season, Coughlan's character Penelope had taken a back seat to other characters, despite being revealed at the end of season one as the mastermind behind the notorious Lady Whistledown. 

Her secret was discovered, however, by Colin Bridgerton's sister - and Penelope's dearest friend - Eloise at the end of season two, causing a souring of their friendship. 

The fraught relationship between Eloise and Penelope is expected to be a major plot point of the upcoming season, as well as the relationship between Penelope and Colin. 

Colin's sister, Francesca, is also expected to feature prominently in season three. 

Coughlan has wowed audiences since the trailer's release, with one YouTube commenter writing, "Nicola Coughlan is literally the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen." 

Another commenter stated she looked "like a goddess" while another stated, "She's so breathtaking."