Nicola Coughlan has reportedly been dating actor Jake Dunn since August 2024. In October 2024, they shot onto everyone’s radar (and broke the hearts of all Bridgerton fans hoping that her soul mate would be her co-star Luke Newton) when they were seen together in London.
The pair is still together, although they have kept their relationship out of the public eye. They celebrated a milestone in February 2025, though, when the actress posted a photo of Dunn on her Instagram Story. The text overlay read: “Happy birthday,” followed by a red heart emoji. Her decision to make the post suggested that they were relatively serious, or, at the very least, comfortable enough in their coupling to make a public post.
But why are there reports that their relationship is in trouble, and what is their age difference?
Nicola Coughlan’s Friends Are Reportedly Concerned Her Boyfriend Is Too Young
Coughlan is 38, whereas Dunn recently celebrated his 25th birthday. For some couples, the age gap could prove problematic, and a source recently told Life & Style why the actress’s friends are concerned.
“The age difference is the main issue,” the insider claims. They also brought attention to their respective ages and claimed that because Dunn is young, “Nicola’s got a few friends warning her that Jake will eventually break her heart.”
On paper, 13 years does seem like a lot, and with many age-gap relationships, common issues include a power imbalance or being in different stages of their lives. This does not appear to be true with Coughlan and Dunn; at least, the insider does not mention their problems. Instead, despite the naysayers, the insider claims their relationship is strong.
“Jake is young, but they have a great connection and there’s plenty of chemistry,” they told the publication. “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.”
If the relationship doesn’t work out, Bridgerton fans may hope that Newton and Coughlan can transform their friendship into something more.
“A lot of people really want me to marry Luke,” she 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?” She is not wrong, and what they share is special.
The intense interest in them as a couple stems from their onscreen chemistry. Their characters, Penelope and Colin, even earned the nickname “Polin” from those who ship the couple.
