It is then, during this final part, that we hear Julie Andrews voice for the last time this season when she says, “And with the retirement of my literary persona, I would like to formally introduce myself: Previous wallflower, current columnist, observer, welder of quill, nobody unique, and yet I have my moments.”
In the next line, which starts with, “and hopefully dear reader…,” Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton takes over. She finishes with this: “You will stay on to enjoy them with me as we begin this next part of our journey. Yours truly, Penelope Bridgerton.”
By all accounts, this would seem to set up nicely (although definitely bittersweet) the handing of the torch from Andrews to Coughlan. But not so fast, executive producer and showrunner Jess Brownell tells Glamour. In fact, it may not be the end of the road for several other actors as well, including Jonathan Bailey (Antony Bridgerton) and Simone Ashley (Kate Sharma Bridgerton), whose characters moved to India in episode 307 as they prepared to welcome to their first child.
Below, Brownell reveals why she wants to keep Dame Julie Andrews in the fold for the rest of the series and what the future holds for Bailey and Ashley as well as Coughlan and Luke Newton.
Glamour: At the end of the episode, Julie Andrews’ voice as Lady Whistledown transitions into Nicola Coughlan’s voice as the narrator. What does this mean for Dame Andrews in season four? Is this the end of her run as our narrator?
Jess Brownell: So thematically, that is absolutely the right assumption because it makes so much sense now that Penelope is owning her own voice to literally have her voice Lady Whistledown. However, Julie Andrews is just such a part of the feeling of the show. So, we’re playing around in season four with ways that we can explain why it’s still Julie Andrews. I think it’s just—it’s in Penelope’s head the way she officially reads it to herself as she writes.
