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Nicola Coughlan’s Friends Are ‘Warning Her’ That Boyfriend Jake Dunn ‘Will Eventually Break Her Heart’
Nicola Coughlan may be crazy in love with boyfriend Jake Dunn, but there are some people in the Bridgerton star’s camp who aren’t convinced the relationship will last, a source exclusively tells Life & Style.
“The age difference is the main issue,” shares the insider. “She’s 38 and he’s 25 and while that’s not a huge deal for some couples, Nicola’s got a few friends warning her that Jake will eventually break her heart.”
However, the actress doesn’t seem to be paying any attention to her pals’ concerns. “Jake is young, but they have a great connection and there’s plenty of chemistry,” notes the source. “So, Nicola’s not listening to all the chatter and just taking things one day at a time. She and Jake are having fun and that’s good enough.”
Nicola and Jake were first spotted together in August 2024 at a music festival in England. The duo further sparked romance rumors in October 2024, when the actor was photographed putting his arm around the Netflix star while they went for a stroll in London. Nicola reciprocated by holding his hand on their date night.
The Derry Girls star confirmed her romance with Jake by making him Instagram official on his February 12 birthday, when he turned 25. Nicola shared a snapshot of her boyfriend sitting on what appeared to be a movie set, writing, “Happy Birthday” and including a red heart emoji.
Nicola and Jake looked lost in love during their first red carpet appearance, as the couple stepped out together at the BAFTA Television and Television Craft Nominees’ Party on April 24.
Nicola’s relationship with Jake came after Bridgerton fans shipped a real-life romance with her costar Luke Newton. He plays husband Colin Bridgerton to her Penelope Featherington. Viewers swooned over their love story as played out in season 3, and they even have the couple’s nickname “Polin.”
“A lot of people really want me to marry Luke,” the Ireland native told Time in October 2024. “We have this gorgeous friendship. We have such a love for one another and this experience that I’ll never have with someone else again. Isn’t it gorgeous that a man and woman can have that sort of relationship with one another?”
Nicola told the publication about one particularly daring moment for their characters during the season.
“It was intimate, but it was also scary because of the level of nudity,” she explained. “We wanted to do justice to the story and this beautiful moment where he makes her feel really loved and they’re vulnerable together. I’m so proud of that scene.”
Nicola joked about how people kept calling her “brave” for her topless scenes.
“Don’t call me brave. I have a cracking pair of boobs. There’s nothing brave about that, that’s actually just me showing them off,” she proudly said of her body.
However, the Harlots actress was concerned about how others discussed her figure.
“I’m a few sizes below the average size of a woman in the U.K. and I’m seen as a ‘plus-size heroine,'” Nicola told the outlet. “Not to mention, I worked my arse off for that show. I barely saw my family and friends, and people were just going, ‘But your body …’”
Even though Nicola realized it came as a compliment how some fans focused on her curves, she explained, “But I don’t take it as nice. Making it about how I look is reductive and boring. What if I was suddenly going to play a ballerina and lose a s–t ton of weight, are you not going to like me anymore? That’s insane and so insulting.”
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