Nicola Coughlan confirms relationship with Jake Dunn in Instagram tribute

Nicola Coughlan has made her relationship with Jake Dunn social media official. The Bridgerton star shared a birthday tribute for Dunn on Instagram Stories on Feb. 12, posting a side-profile photo of the Renegade Nell actor wearing a white T-shirt, along with a red heart emoji and the caption, “Happy Birthday.”

The post follows months of speculation about their relationship. Coughlan, 38, and Dunn, 25, were first seen together in August 2024 at Mitski’s set during the All Points East festival. In October, they were spotted holding hands in London after a date night at a local bar, further fueling romance rumors. Though neither publicly confirmed their relationship at the time, Dunn previously included Coughlan in a December Instagram photo dump, where she was seen smiling while holding two drinks.

Despite the growing romance rumors, fans had also speculated that Coughlan might be dating her Bridgerton co-star, Luke Newton. However, Newton confirmed in June that he is in a relationship with dancer Antonia Roumelioti. Addressing the fan speculation, Coughlan told TIME in October that she and Newton share a deep friendship but no romantic connection.

“A lot of people really want me to marry Luke,” she said. “We have this gorgeous friendship… Isn’t it wonderful that a man and woman can have that sort of relationship with one another?”

Newton echoed her sentiments, telling E! News in May that their strong friendship made filming Bridgerton’s romantic scenes more comfortable. He described their working dynamic as a “safe space” that helped them bring Colin and Penelope’s love story to life.

Now, with Coughlan’s Instagram tribute, her relationship with Dunn is no longer just speculation—it’s officially confirmed.