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Bridgerton’s big Lady Whistledown reveal almost didn’t happen. Turns out, the show almost had a completely different ending for its first season! Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington) revealed this secret at Netflix’s 2021 TUDUM event. Instead of Penelope, another character was set up to take the fall. Who? None other than Cressida Cowper.
Yep, the mean girl who thrives on drama was almost given the title of the Ton’s biggest gossip writer. But the creators went with the reveal we all know in a last-minute decision. Now, let’s dive into what went down and why this alternate ending would have completely changed the Bridgerton universe.
Eloise Bridgerton wasn’t the only one shocked by Penelope’s secret. Coughlan herself had no clue she was playing Lady Whistledown until after she got the role. And the craziest part? She found out through an internet fan forum! In her own words, the English actress said:
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“I found out bizarrely because when we auditioned, we knew very little about the show. It was after getting cast that I found out, and I found out on an internet fan forum. I realized there was this huge fandom behind these books. It was like this whole other world opened up. But, they were like ‘When Penelope is revealed as Lady Whistledown’ and I went ‘WHAT?’”
Bridgerton originally had no plans to reveal Lady Whistledown’s identity in Season 1. They even filmed a different ending where Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) was set up as the anonymous writer! So, how close were we to seeing Cowper exposed as Lady Whistledown? Well, pretty close.
Nicola Coughlan said they shot an alternate version of the final episode where Whistledown’s identity was ambiguous. “It was a reshoot in July, so they had filmed a different ending. They were going to make it seem like it was Cressida Cowper,” she said.
Cressida, as Lady Whistledown, wouldn’t have hit the same. Sure, she loves drama, but does she have the wit and cunning to pull off those legendary gossip letters? Doubtful. Penelope, though? She was made for it. She’s sharp, overlooked, and always watching—the perfect recipe for a secret scandal queen.
Thankfully, the showrunners saw the light and decided to stay true to Julia Quinn’s books. Instead of dragging out the mystery, they gave us that iconic carriage scene—where Penelope dramatically pulls back her hood, revealing herself as the Ton’s biggest puppet master.
And honestly? That moment was a chef’s kiss. Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton) even pointed out that the cast always knew who Lady Whistledown was because of the books. But for casual viewers? That reveal was everything.
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