Fans shocked after discovering Theo James stars in raunchy period drama that’s ‘better than Bridgerton’

The first instalment of the third season of Bridgerton has been well and truly binged by the majority of us and we can't wait to stick our teeth into something new as we wait for the second half to drop on June 13.

The best thing about developing a penchant for raunchy period dramas is that we're pretty much spoilt for choice when rummaging through the archives.

One of the most undefeated feelings when it comes to telly is discovering a gem we may have previously missed - and that means all episodes are there ready for us to binge. Win-win.

Now that the steamy love affair of Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) of the 'Ton is taking a breather, viewers have been scouting out the next best thing and we're pretty sure we've found it.

Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton. (Netflix)

A similarly raunchy series - which is also set in the Regency era and boasts three seasons with Theo James at the helm of the first - is Sanditon.

The literary gals may recognise the title as an unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen - which this series is based on.

Sanditon was first titled The Brothers by Austen, with the English novelist only managing to write eleven full chapters of the romance before her death in July 1817, aged 41.

The developer of Sanditon's TV adaptation, Andrew Davies, referred to the source material for the first episode before taking creative control over the script for the episodes that followed.

Alongside Theo, ITV's Sanditon stars Rose Williams as Charlotte Heywood, the young and naive heroine in a seaside town undergoing social change.

Charlotte's arrival at Sanditon in a bid for a fresh start leads her to meet Sidney Parker (Theo James) and his brother Tom Parker (Kris Marshall).

The two brothers hatch a plan to transform the quaint fishing village into ‘the finest seaside resort on the whole of the south coast’.

Theo James plays Sidney Parker in Sanditon. (ITV)

It's not all business though, of course. Sanditon is rife with on-screen chemistry, featuring very steamy sex scenes, some nudity and a dose of heartbreak.

It's possible to consider Sanditon as slightly more hard-hitting than Bridgerton though, featuring incest and racial tensions.

First debuting in 2019, Sanditon was a hit at time of release and is enjoying the same glowing reviews from those who are heading over off the back of Bridgerton.

One person wrote on X: "Sanditon is better than Pride & Prejudice and Bridgerton combined and I will not be taking questions."

The TV show is based on Jane Austen's unfinished manuscript. (ITV)

Another said: "I did not expect the first 2 episodes of Sanditon to have more sex and innuendo than the first 5+ episodes of Bridgerton Season 2."

A third chimed: "Admittedly #Sanditon does have a carriage ride or two that perhaps may be… er… um... considered ‘a little differently rated’ (PG-13?) yet this series is highly recommended and worth the watch while awaiting #Bridgerton S3, Part 2!"

All three seasons of Sanditon can be streamed on ITVX now.