Bridgerton Season 1 promised a diverse, dazzling ballroom, but somehow confused that with tossing one chubby girl into a pile of hideous dresses. While everyone else twirled in silks and satins, poor Penelope Featherington got stuck wearing outfits that looked like rejected couch covers. If this was Bridgerton’s idea of body positivity, someone clearly spiked the tea.

In a world built on beauty and scandal, letting the only plus-size character be a walking fashion disaster feels less like inclusion and more like an afterthought.

Bridgerton season 1 reduced Nicola Coughlan’s character to ugly dresses Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton | Credits: Netflix

When Bridgerton first hit Netflix, it promised lavish drama, forbidden romance, and, supposedly, diversity. But what it actually served was one plus-size character, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), trapped in a parade of painfully unflattering dresses.

And if you’re a true rom-com fan, you know the real magic isn’t...