The ton is supposed to be all about courtship and gossip, but the drama has spilled off-screen in a big way, and this time, it's not something Lady Whistledown can fix with a scathing social column. Nicola Coughlan, beloved by fans as the witty Penelope Featherington, has been subjected to a barrage of cruel body shaming since the release of "Bridgerton" season 3, leaving her in tears and sparking outrage across the internet.
The hurtful comments, many targeting Nicola’s weight and deeming her unsuitable for the role of Penelope, have been relentless, appearing everywhere from social media to mainstream publications.
"If you have an opinion about my body, please, please don’t share it with me," a heartbroken Nicola pleaded in a recent interview with Vogue magazine. "Sounds simple, right? I am just one real-life human being, and it's really hard to take the weight of thousands of opinions on how you look being sent directly to you every day.
The actress shared a particularly upsetting example from a Spectator article, which called Penelope “podgy” and declared it “not plausible” for her to win the heart of Colin Bridgerton due to her weight. The article went on to say that "she is not hot and there is no escaping it.”
Nicola’s Instagram post, shared alongside a screenshot of the article, revealed the emotional toll the constant scrutiny has taken.
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