Who plays Lord Debling in ‘Bridgerton’ season 3?

Bridgerton season 3 promises to give gentle viewers everywhere a heaping plateful of fresh romance, and hopes are high that Penelope and Colin’s love story will finally take flight. But love isn’t the only thing that will lead well-thought plans astray this season, as a new suitor has taken it upon himself to be a source of chaos.

As the season 3 official trailer alludes, Penelope and Colin won’t be finding true love without their friendship — and their potential to be more — being tested by outside sources. One such obstacle in their way is the dashing Lord Debling, who looks like he’s going to give Colin stiff competition in winning Penelope’s hand and heart. Why? Because unlike our on-the-fence Mr. Bridgerton, Debling is actively looking for a wife and appears to be very interested in a certain blossoming wallflower.

Who is the actor playing the striking new suitor in Penelope Featherington’s life?

Actor Sam Phillips has been roped in to be the thorn in Colin’s side in season 3, but he’ll inevitably play a big part in making him realize the depth of his true feelings for Penelope, someone Colin has only considered a friend for years. Phillips, who has won two SAG awards for expertly playing the Queen’s Equerry in The Crown, will be throwing the core love story for the loop it needs to navigate before (hopefully) heading in the positive direction we all want it to go in.

As described by Deadline, Debling will be a “genial lord with unusual interests … with wealth and a noble title to back up his eccentricities.” He will find himself as the focal point of interest for many young ladies, but evidently, his eyes will land on the unique Penelope, who will be busy building her confidence as she seeks out the man she desires.

Is Lord Debling here to stay?

In addition to The Crown, Phillips is renowned for his roles like Jamie the bellboy in Hotel Trubble and Spencer Cavendish in The Syndicate, so he’s no stranger to the screen. Now that he’s on Bridgerton, is here to stay or will he only linger around until this season’s lead pair realizes they are each other’s true soulmates? At the present moment, we have no idea, as Lord Debling doesn’t come from the Bridgerton books — he’s an original character solely created to make Luke Newton’s Colin jealous and hopefully set him on the path of love.

“Lord Debling is seen as an outsider,” Phillips shared with Shondaland. “He lives on the fringes of society, and he is after a love match this season; he’s after someone who goes against the grain, someone who is a little bit of an outsider like him.”

Yes! Love triangle, anyone? Penelope is obviously the priceless gem he seeks, which means Colin will be embarking on a major jealousy trip this time around. But will that only continue throughout season 3 part 1 or spread to its second installment? Will Lord Debling’s existence change the course of #Polin, or will he simply recede into the shadows if Bridgerton continues to be faithful to the novels? After all, Phillips has shown a penchant for being hard-to-forget in his memorable roles to date. Only the fast-approaching release of season 3 on Netflix will tell.