Five raunchy period dramas to watch after Bridgerton season 3
If you're anything like me, I bet you've already rattled your way through the long-awaited third instalment of Bridgerton, and suddenly you feel as though life has no purpose.
And, with the delayed second-half not landing onto Netflix for another month, you can't help but wonder what you previously thought of before Penelope and Colin's handsy backseat romp.
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Well, not to worry. As I say, you're certainly not alone in your heartache.
So, to make matters slightly easier for you, we've compiled a list of the five top-rated period dramas of the last few years that you can binge your way through if you simply can't wait another month for more Bridgerton.
Lady Jane Grey
It may not quite be out yet, but upcoming period-drama Lady Jane Grey already has fans up in arms over its hot and heavy scenes.
Just like Bridgerton, this alternative history show is the reason why so many women are going to be running to Amazon Prime on 27 June, telling a story of what the tragic Lady Jane Grey's life would have looked like if she'd have avoided being executed in 1554 after just nine days as queen.
Starring Fresh Kills' Emily Bader and Killing Eve's Edward Bluemel, this erotically-charged series is 'an epic tale' which is telling Jane’s story in an alternative line of history.
Inspired by the book of the same name by Cynthia Hand, it’s all about breaking barriers and giving Jane her chance to be remembered for more than just her death.
Sanditon
One raunchy project that has caught the attention of the masses is Sanditon.
The ITV offering is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s famously unfinished manuscript - a romantic novel - of which she only completed eleven full chapters before her death in July 1817.
Due to its unfinished nature, Sanditon developer Andrew Davies used the source material to fill out the first episode before expanding the world as he saw fit.
Starring Rose Williams as spirited protagonist Charlotte Heywood, the ITV show is set in a seaside town rife with social change.
As Charlotte arrives at Sanditon for a fresh start, she becomes acquainted with Sidney Parker (Theo James) and his older brother Tom Parker (Kris Marshall).
The brothers’ plan of action is to turn the quiet fishing village into ‘the finest seaside resort on the whole of the south coast’.
But between the business, the provocative drama features heartache, steamy sex scenes and male nudity.
The Tudors
This noughties banger - which first hit our screens back in 2007 - is set primarily in 16th-century England and while it's named after the extremely eventful Tudor dynasty as a whole, it is based specifically upon the reign of the infamous King Henry VIII.
It follows the scandalous life of the young king whose affairs and obsession with having a male heir changed the state of marriage, England's relationship with the church and, pretty much, the entire rest of the world.
It stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Katherine of Aragon, Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn, Anita Briem and Annabelle Wallis as Jane Seymour, Joss Stone as Anne of Cleves, Tamzin Merchant as Catherine Howard and Joely Richardson as Catherine Parr.
All 38 episodes are currently available to stream on Channel 4 - making it perfect for a proper good binge-watching sesh.
Mary and George
Sky period drama Mary & George has also blown viewers' minds since landing earlier this year.
For those unfamiliar with the limited series, it follows the Countess of Buckingham (Julianne Moore) as she urges her son George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (Nicholas Galitzine), to seduce and scheme to conquer the Court of England and the bed of King James I.
And you'll be glad to know that critics absolutely loved it, many of whom rushed to social media immediately after watching to share their reactions to the hotly-discussed x-rated scenes.
One wrote: "Watching Mary & George on a train and there was really no one near me for the past two hours but now a guy's sitting in the row behind me and of course there's an orgy on screen."
Another said: "I had so much fun watching Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine in Mary & George. Long live the horny period drama."
Mary & George is available to watch on NOW TV and Sky.
Belgravia
Lastly, many period-drama lovers are now totally obsessed with a '10/10' hit that's being hailed as being even 'better than Bridgerton'.
The British Regency and Victorian-era historical drama, set in the 19th century, is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Julian Fellowes.
The six-part Apple TV limited series reunites the production team behind Downton Abbey and follows the London-hailing Trenchard family and the circumstances that bring them together with members of the upper strata of society, which threatens to expose their ancient secrets.
It stars Philip Glenister as James Trenchard, Tamsin Greig as Anne Trenchard,
Richard Goulding as Oliver Trenchard (son of James and Anne), Emily Reid as Sophia Trenchard (daughter of James and Anne) and Alice Eve as Susan Trenchard, wife of Oliver.
"I just started to watch Belgravia and it is way more better than Bridgerton," one fan tweeted.
You're welcome!
Topics: Bridgerton, TV And Film, Netflix, Period Drama, Entertainment, Celebrity
Rhianna Benson