On the idea that we get too caught up playing detective with every little clue, I agree that we do. But thereās a reason for it: weāre trying to fill in gaps where there are no real answers.
After the WT, two very unusual and unbalanced relationships appeared, complete with insinuations, body parts in photos, and even grid posts, yet the words āgirlfriendā or āboyfriendā are never actually used. Nic became Jacquesā personal PR machine. Luke canāt leave the house without his emotional support Tooch.
Meanwhile, after 5 years of heavy in person and online flirtations, Nic and Luke all but declared a public moratorium on communication. The photos stopped. The interactions stopped. Nic practically wonāt let his name pass her lips, while he canāt keep her name off his. When you donāt tell your story, fans tell one for you. When you do tell your story but itās littered with contradictions, fans try to reconcile what doesnāt make sense.
Is all of this really about avoiding shipping when the shipping itself has arguably been some of the best publicity theyāve received? If nothing is happening, why make everything feel so secretive and significant? Even the explanations we do get tend to raise more questions than they answer.
When there are no new projects to discuss or weāre promised Polin and get mute character interactions and cut off heads, we want to know why. When an available star is including in promo but excluded from a red carpet, we want to know why. When a talented man who should be getting jobs isnāt, we want to know why. The ambiguity becomes the story. The fandom is left with fragments, contradictions, and unanswered questions, so people start trying to assemble them into something coherent. We end up trying to solve ten different puzzles with half the pieces missing.
This is nothing groundbreaking that hasnāt been said before. Iām not saying itās right or wrong. Iām not saying itās smart or dumb. Iām not saying itās a good or poor use of anyoneās time. But itās also not surprising.
This wonāt stop until thereās unquestionable clarity. Thatās the nature of fandom. People speculate when there are gaps in the narrative. The less definitive information there is, the more room there is for theories, assumptions, and detective work. Whether thatās productive is another question entirely, but itās a predictable outcome.
Not posting the image we all know what it looks like.
I believe the picture was taken in London likely around mid to late April just before Jake left to film. I think it was a group outing with jake Nic and the rest of the usual suspects.
Firstly jakes hair timeline.
1. April 13, 2026 ā The Natural Baseline
Visual State: Natural, relaxed grooming state. The hair displays an open, everyday texture, and the eyebrows follow his unplucked, lower-set natural arch.
Context: Captured in London right before the intensive Saturday Night Live U.K. prep cycle began.
2. April 25, 2026 ā The Clean Professional Trim (The Core Archive Window)
Visual State: A distinct, tight undercut/fade is visible right above and behind the ear. The top length is neatly manicured, and the eyebrow shape is sharply groomed and defined.
Context: The Saturday Night Live U.K. hosting week in London. This grooming state is highly identical to the restaurant photo.
3. May 10, 2026 ā The Red Carpet Polish (The Secondary Archive Window)
Visual State: The fade is maintained tight to the scalp. The curls on top are heavily styled, dropping into an intentional, structured "S" wave over his forehead.
Context: Attending the BAFTA Television Awards at the Royal Festival Hall.
4. June 4, 2026 ā The Shaggy Film Continuity (The Disruption)
Visual State: Significant volume and growth. The tight undercut from April/May has completely grown out into thick, shaggy sideburns, and the front length cascades forward in a heavy wave.
Context: A candid behind-the-scenes fan picture taken on-set in Prague during active filming.
5. June 8, 2026 ā The Reactionary Upload (The Narrative Post)
Visual State: Features the short, tidy undercut, clear temple fade, and clean grooming of the April 25 ā May 10 window. It completely lacks the long, shaggy hair continuity documented just 4 days prior on June 4.
Context: Posted to his Instagram Stories as an immediate, defensive response to the Joe Alwyn casting leak.
The table layout
[JAKE]: Corner axis seat; leans forward into the foreground to snap the selfie
[NICOLA]: Adjacent side seat; leans forward into the light field, her gaze crossing diagonally past Jake to talk to Guest 6
[GUEST 6]: Far-left seat; the target of Nicola's `onversation, entirely removed by the tight left- hand crop
[GUEST 3]: Right flank seat (e.g., Dylan Brady); entirely removed by the right-hand crop to hide the presence of the friend group currently holidaying
Okay so a friend on DM sent me J's story since I don't follow him.
Could this be a lowkey get out looking not gay so he can get a different beard & keep in the closet? Could he still be having doubts about coming out completely? Even though we know he hasn't really ever hidden his preference. With posting songs written for the love of a man & every single thing we've all discussed so many times.
I mean it's noted that isn't really his reply so there is plausible deniability in it. Depending on where he will be in wanting to come out or not by the Lukola reveal he could go with 1. "Oh, I was just posting a sad story I liked reading" for he is ready to come out, or 2. "It wasn't Nicola I broke up with; it was a different female" if he isn't ready to come out. So whichever way based on how he is feeling then could be his official statement after the Lukola reveal.
Regardless once the truth is revealed then the jig is up. It will be proof it wasn't a breakup because they weren't ever together to breakup. So...
On the other hand, sorry repeating he HAS been sharing songs from Frank Ocean (a queer icon) & being a fan of many others. I am leaning more into my gut, my intuition. It's that he is ready to come out.
This route makes the absence of J explainable until the reveal. A "breakup" means they aren't friends anymore. So, he won't be around anymore. It's to cushion the landing so it's not a major noticeable pivot away from J. Also, it will get people to feel for him until the reveal. Then after the reveal it explains things 100% as will it confirm his personal truth.
Update: Fixed typos I made from being sick & not being able to clearly focus on the screen or anything. So sorry. Send me positivity & good energy guys, fore I really need it. I am such a mess with my head & stomach right now.
I don't think Enty is trying to imply Nicola doesn't know J is gay or that it isn't on purpose that she is a beard for J. Just that Joe who was spreading the information might not have wanted to get too close to the full truth for fear of risking breaking the NDA contract of Luke's so stayed away from tipping off the true couple in the wording. Joe might also have been correcting the weekly shot blind from earlier.
There are some interesting guess comments in the comments. Some I refuse to add here due to the rudeness in them.
Waiting for the AGC guess.
--
HUGE UPDATE: The Weekly Shot blind is gone! I can't find it on CDAN or AGC. They removed it. Please double check for me. I am kind of in a hurry so might have missed it, but I'm pretty sure I didn't. As you can see on the screencap below, the original was posted on March 6th.
I knew my intuition had good reason to wake me up in the middle of the night last night. I am running on fumes but Idc right now. This is huge!
it goes without saying that people have different options about what is going on with luke, nic and the whole cast of characters. I am not here to debate about any of that. We are all theorising none of us know anything for a fact.
What i want to talk about is Nics need to prove that she is in a relationship. She uses performative props like the polaroid and hats. Theres the shared clothing that they presumably take in turns to get from the communal bedroom chair-drobe.
We have synchronised restaurant date night posts. They share identical pics to prove they were in the same spot. They get posted by their friends or friends of friends( despite not wanting to be seen)
Nic follows people related to his work. Makes comments about reading a spy book just before its revealed he has a part in a spy show.
We get magazine interviews where Nic reveals information about her private life when she really didn't have to.
The thing is in your average everyday relationship you just have a relationship. You don't need to prove its happening. If people think you are dating someone else you just shake your head and move on with your day. Because it doesn't matter what people think or theorise about on the Internet because you know the truth. What was it a certain Nicola Coughlan said 'you see the wildest rumours and then you think you don't know me, thats the trick you don't even know me'
Why does the current Nicola not live by that rule any more. Why the need to prove her relationship to the people she openly calls parasocial. Why not just live her life. Why is her every move predictable.
Why would a successful woman in an apparently happy healthy relationship feel the need to prove that relationship exists to people that don't really matter.
I've watched a lot of "realists" over the last couple of years make claims about why L/N have mirrored each other so similarly and say things like, "they don't owe us anything," and, "they want privacy." While I can, in theory, agree with some of the above, I tend to think most are missing the mark on why L/N have been moving the way they do. And I think that just because some shippers right now are the "favored children," (at least in their own minds), that doesn't mean that it won't change in the future (and frankly, hasn't begun to change already).
Part of what fascinates me about all of this is the idea that two grown adults in separate relationships would have any need to coordinate and mirror in the way that these two have. Typically, if it were true, they'd be meeting people who weren't so similar, following completely different timelines. Meeting two little-known 20-somethings and then backdating their social medias to reflect being with these people an incredibly similar length of time, followed by identical pap shots (by the same guy no less), then mirroring things with how they roll them out at events and how things go on sm is too many coincidences for adults in two separate relationships, imo. Even if they were in relationships with these folks, each one would move naturally at its own pace.
I actually respect celebrities who want privacy in their relationships. I used to, years ago, think it was a form of gatekeeping, but I actually see the wisdom in it at this point, especially after all I've witnessed the last couple years. However, that's far from what's happened here. Regardless of where you sit on this issue and the issues of these other indiividuals, privacy is not something either of these folks have even attempted to achieve. True privacy in a celebrity relationship is not carting these people around to events, doing red carpet photos, promoting their projects and family members' businesses. True privacy is not these alleged relationships always trying to imply (or outright post) proximity to the famous person in question.
The thing that continues to be so odd to me is the idea that these folks would be in 2+ year relationships and anyone would need to imply atp. At a certain point, if you're in a relationship, that becomes a fact and a backdrop and not the main source of your social engagement. Most of JD's stan pages are about his relationship. They do, of course, post when he has projects, but most of what they gush over, make edits over, and speculate over is his alleged relationship. He knows what gets people to tune in. The amount of times I've seen a Jakola go to one of his plays and write a review akin to, "The play was good. Jake was good. He looked hot." There is no stanning there. It would be like my going to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 this past weekend and making it about how hot everyone looked. Yes, btw, they all looked hot (shout-out to Simone on this one who looks fire at all times), but what was really jaw-dropping was the script, the dynamic between the characters, the incredible fashion and locations, the cameos, etc.
A, for her part, posts mostly vanity shoots ( I call them this because they exist to build her portfolio and aren't derived from actual paid work), the occasional dance video and mostly exists to post about her "relationship" with L. Why? Because she knows that when she shares her gift for twerking with the world or graces us with yet another HB-inspired photo shoot, wardrobe malfunctions included, that nobody pays any attention. These posts get minimal engagement, mostly by friends, family, and a few sycophants, but the reality is it seems more and more likely girl is running her own fan page. She hasn't even been able to get people on a large scale to ship her "relationship" the way they do with N and JD, because unlike them, she and L aren't convincing when around each other that they actually like each other or really get along on any level.
Now back to the arguments that they want privacy and don't owe us anything. If either of them functioned like others from the cast, for example Hannah, or JB, or even Simone to a large extent, I'd agree with these points. I might not have in the past, but if nothing else, watching what I have for the last couple of years has convinced me that there is a certain amount of mess that benefits no one. However, a need for privacy isn't what's happening here. L and N do not want to be private. If they did, L wouldn't take a person around with him who dedicates her entire sm presence to proving proximity to him. She's not proving that he likes her, that he wants to be around her, that he's a simp for her. She's proving that she's breathing the same air as him (and seemingly having to scan crowd footage nearly 2 years later to do so!). Think about how truly odd it would be to be spending time doing that nearly two years into a public relationship, when one could simply post ones own photos? Unless, of course, they don't want that much evidence on their own page (ie don't want the adjacents to oversaturate the media with images of them for when/ if it goes south). But even then, the idea that a serious nearly 2 year relationship would require posting security footage that shows you are with but not near the other person is wild to me.
And JD for his part loves to post stuff that is very similar- posting with or near N so he can get attention. I'm not sure for him that it's about engagement and clicks the way it is for A. But he definitely enjoys the attention that comes with it, and the name-dropping he can likely employ. And I assume he enjoys the currency that being associated with N provides when it comes to work.
"But Bridgey, they don't owe us anything."
You're right, they don't. However, both N and L know that they have gotten the most traction with getting their name out there in the tabloid media through these alleged "relationships." N knows that a good number of her stan pages simply exist because of her alleged relationship with JD. There are tumblr blogs and stan pages that existed prior to him, sure, but a lot of them seem dedicated to simply celebrating her relationship and personal life and not much to her actual work. L hasn't enjoyed the same benefits, partially due to sexism/ internalized misogyny and partially because he didn't benefit from the narrative of being the wounded party and having a SO who allegedly rescued him from it all. It also doesn't help that the person he's connected to just doesn't have much personality or likability. I can't recall a single post in the last nearly 2 years that has shown us anything about A's likes or interests beyond the gym, the beach, dance, or proximity to L.
Lately, N has had a lot of projects drop to promote. She's been getting a fair amount of press from them. There's been rumors of other projects and I'm even sure some announcements to come. We just got served some L content in the way of White Mars bts costumes. And we got some rumors of upcoming L projects with little actual confirmation. But the reality is both are independent contractors and while brand deals can keep them on the radar somewhat, they get far more engagement and investment from fans when they or the adjacents around them post about their alleged personal lives. I truly believe that neither really enjoy fostering a parasocial relationship with fans (N has certainly complained publicly about fans' parasocial relationship to her), but it doesn't stop them from feeding it.
If I were a celeb who truly didn't want a parasocial relationship to fans, I'd take a page from Hannah Dodd's book. I wouldn't show up at work events with a "partner." I'd have professional social media only. I'd keep family and friends off my public page as much as possible.
They know the secret: when they foster a parasocial relationship with fans, there are some who will go so far as to create stan accounts for those relationships. They'll get more feature articles in people, DM, etc. They'll get mentioned in listicles of Bridgerton stars with personal lives. They'll get more social media comments, positive or negative. They'll give something to fans to argue about in the comment section.
That's where I do think that if they are manipulating things and then (N particularly) waxing poetic about privacy, they do owe fans something. But on principle, I understand that celebs like JB for example, don't. And I don't begrudge him or the truly private cast that. But having your cake and eating it too aren't a thing, and Lukola needs to recognize that (and their role in this mess) at some point.
There are plenty celebrities who are at Nic and Lukeās level of fame who want privacy. Iād argue most of them.
Most of those people, however, LOVE the perks and money and reputation that fame brings.
Fame comes from fans spending their money on your projects and feeling some sort of affection, bond, affinity with you. They canāt do that if they donāt know you or you arenāt āout thereā in public getting on peopleās radar through publicity or promotion.
You canāt have one without the other. And I donāt believe for one second that Luke or Nic wants to give up the lifestyle, the opportunities, the swag, the paycheck, the hanging with other famous people, the photo shoots, the notoriety, the ego boost of being recognized, in exchange for privacy.
They want the benefits without the downside. Natural instinct, but it doesnāt work that way.
So like all actors who reach a certain threshold, they are trying to figure out how to have some privacy while maintaining all the other cool stuff of celebrity theyāve grown used to.
They wouldnāt be the first to employ PR relationships to distract from real going-ons bts. We as fans even expect that of celebrities, despite Nic saying fake dating isnāt for her and Luke saying sm is just for work.
What we donāt expect is PR āpartnersā baiting the fandom: the proximity posts, the insinuations, the clout chasing. Or easter eggs being dropped, only to be gaslit and told they donāt do Easter eggs. Or to be called parasocial for forming the attachment that is the prerequisite of their success, while they couch it in discussions of boundaries and privacy.
Nic isnāt in articles calling out the random stalker. That phenomenon exists in any sort of public facing jobāyouāre subject to scrutiny and a very small few take it too far. Sheās talking about a broad swath of the fandom that pays her bills and gives her the attention (currency) that translates into opportunities and paychecks.
They and their teams intentionally enter and monitor fandom spaces as part of their PR duties, but then take what is being said in small, way out of the way spaces, and amplify it in high circulation platforms and call fans out for itābringing more attention to it than it would have otherwise received.
If privacy was the goal, if a private life is what they wanted, there would be no pap pictures (esp by the same photographer), there would be no pr articles about Greek goddesses or side characters in a show where the main actors get less press, or solo girlfriend Getty images, or articles about bedroom chairs. There would be no latergrams, no matching song lyrics, no āpartnersā on their sm, no random elevator pictures, no restaurant openings, no sm likes, no Polaroids. Because if youāre really together, you could say, āhey, great modeling pics, babe,ā over breakfast, or youād be there when they got the call from their agent booking their new role. No need for performative posts.
Think of all the celebrities you know that you NEVER EVER see and whose partners you have no clue about.
Privacy would literally look like silence. Like solely professional sm posts, only professional publicity. And knowing what we all know and suspect, this would be completely reasonable, for so many reasons. We would miss seeing them, of course, but weād totally understand the choice.
And thatās how you know they want their cake and to eat it too. But you look like a jerk when you say that, so it looks like āproblem fandomā and āoopsā were the strategies they selected instead of actual privacy.
Not truth telling, which I get (but it was an option), and not straight up pr relationships either. Rather, a lot of revisionist history in multiple interviews, maybe to cover multiple blinds that are closing in, lots of random sightings to stay relevant when it suits, and tacit approval of the pr partners and friends posting so they donāt have to. Plausible deniability has been the strategy for years now.
Thatās why thereās pushback and dissatisfaction. Not because they want privacy. Not because we donāt understand the need for that privacy or security. Not even bc they are or arenāt together. We would recognize that path if thatās the one they chose.
But neither one of them has chosen that. They are literally everywhere. Multiple interviews, on podcasts, on tv, in magazines, photo shoots, on the sidewalk on camera, at outdoor bars, all over social media, and their pr partners never stop hinting or posting or insinuating about them. And when they arenāt, their proxies are doing it for them.
That is not private.
And that has nothing to do with shippers or lukolas.
That is a choice. A multi-year series of choices, actually.
They have agency (and agencies who work for them). Theyāre using it. We are not wagging the dog.
This entire thing is by design. By very expensive, carefully crafted, very successful if you think about it, paid, professional and legal design.
Nics claim to want privacy and why people aren't buying it.
I totally understand why Nic wants and deserves privacy to live her life without the constant attention from the public. In the dish podcast she essentially says that actors are boring in real life and not really interesting to watch. Arguably the answer to that is to not give people anything to watch. Which seems simple but I have to question does Nic really want people to ignore her or does she, maybe on the odd occasion, court the very attention she claims to hate.
During the past two years there has been a full on campaign to prove her relationship with Jake. But she only launched him on his birthday you might say. Or it was only made red carpet official at the Baftas. But if we take a look Nic made no effort to keep the relationship private. In fact it seemed like Nic followed the pr guide kn how to launch your up and coming actor boyfriend in 10 easy steps.
We had the convenient deux moi sightings of them on romantic dates at the pub together in July 2024. Yes they were there with other friends but the pr romance train ignores pesky details choo choo.
Then they pose in front of everyone and their salad at a very public music festival. Again they were part of a group but shush.
I am not going to go into every detail but we had:
The very very incredibly private personal polaroid in a clear phone case thats flashed at any given opportunity
The lock screen pic
The teenage relationship promo props like the hats and hoodies
Public appearances at events.
Co ordinated restaurant pics
Fan captured videos of them in public
Group outings to concerts
Pics posted by friends despite craving privacy
Paparazzi pics
Likes and shares on sm
So please donāt tell me Nic wanted to or even tried to keep her relationship private. She went out of her way to push Jake in everyone's face. Which is a huge 180 from the person she was and the person she claims to want to be.
Some might say its classic hey look over here tactics while the real private life happens out sight.
Some of Nics friends show up to Snl. Blatantly show off where they are by posting stories with the snl lollipops and wristbands on show. Make it obvious they are back stage. Actually post during the show that their friend is actively performing in.
Luke goes to Nics play. Doesn't post that he is there. Likes a few of Nics posts.
Guess who gets accused of clout chasing and using Nic?
Then to add insult to injury people genuinely can't see the difference between what the first group did and Nics friends and family posting group pics, that didn't show their location, saying they were ready for the show. Proclaiming themselves to be the best cheerleaders etc.
For those not paying attention the second group were there for Nic the first group were there for themselves. For the extra clout and attention they got for being backstage at snl. They were there to flex and to get insta clout not to support their friend. They needed the audience to know they had privileged green room access. They needed us to know they are in Nics inner circle.
Her real friends and loved ones don't need us to know they are in Nics life they just show up for HER.
That little group are not actually her friends. They see her as a cash cow to milk for their benefit and their benefit only. And Iām really tired of people trying to excuse these actions.
When I saw this video (below), posted by Peta @ptej1980, I couldnāt help but laugh a little because to my ear, Nicola absolutely slipped up. Oops!
The moment is small, but once you hear it, you hear it. She refers to āour babies.ā Not her, Lydia's, babies. Not some vague general motherhood comment. Our babies.
Glamour's edit works overtime to smooth it out; a bit of ambient noise layered right over the word, and the subtitles conveniently reading āherā instead of āour.ā Naturally, you can't put a video out like that and expect the Lukola FBI not to pick it apart frame by frame. Lydia knows. Nicola knows. And for one tiny second, it felt like the private life slipped through the polished public version.
Throughout the Bridgerton season 4 promo, we saw Lukeās little flubs constantly; the micro-expressions, the watching Nicola, taking up most of the settee and making sure his knee was as close to hers as possible, the visible glow whenever he talked about "Colin" being āhappily married, in love.ā Nicola, by comparison, managed herself much more carefully.
But this promo was different.
Talking specifically about motherhood, babies, and working on set? To my mind, that would make things infinitely harder for Nicola. Because if she was living that reality - if Nanny was bringing BN to set, if Nicola was balancing work and new motherhood the way Lydia describes - then she wasnāt speaking hypothetically. Nicola knows.
š¬ 13Ā Ā š 0Ā Ā ā¤ļø 52Ā Ā·Ā Slip of the tongueā¦.Ā Ā·Ā Um so it is Nic this time who slipped up
Credit IG No_Face_all _facts
Now glamour uk has adjuste
And that got me thinking: are there other moments where Nicola has slipped?
Maybe. But first, a little setup.
Back in February 2025, Nicolaās then-new Neutrogena campaign quietly placed her in an article on RollerCoaster, one of Irelandās leading parenting websites. No direct quote from Nicola, but the articleās entire purpose, right there in the title, was encouraging mums to include Neutrogena in their skincare routine. Oops!
That article completely flew under the radar and notably, it wasnāt promoted by Nicola at all. Which stood out to me, because Nicola is usually incredibly supportive of Irish publications, brands, and creators. She loves championing homegrown things. For her to stay quiet on a feature placed in one of Irelandās leading parenting sites feels less like oversight and more like intention, especially given the very specific āmumā angle of the piece only about two weeks after giving birth.
Many of us have wondered how exactly Nicola Coughlan has managed to have such a glowing, healthy complexion despite all her heavy screen mak
Which raises the obvious question: why would Neutrogenaās product team place Nicola into a specifically mum-focused campaign if that angle didnāt fit?
Wellā¦ because Nicola had just had a baby.
That makes far more sense.
In fact, the TikTok skincare expert mentioned in the article, Dr. Adel, and Nicola filmed a video together discussing skincare treatments and remedies. That video was shot in December 2024 ā when Nicola was around eight months pregnant and looking absolutely gorgeous š
Interestingly, that video itself wasnāt released until July 24, 2025 (it's still on NeutrogenaUK's IG), five months after it had already been referenced in the RollerCoaster article.
Why?
My guess is simple: somebody hit the brakes, and Nicolaās silence around the article feels like part of that.
It certainly feels like Nicolaās team wanted distance between the pregnancy narrative, a mums-and-skincare campaign, and the very obvious maternity-style pinafore dress she wore in that video.
Which brings us back to the āoops.ā
At a Neutrogena āMain Character Energyā event in March 2025, featuring Nicola, she spoke about self-worth and the pressure women put on themselves.
Above is an excerpt from her conversation with the host, taken from the video that circulated online (and truly ā hearing the video makes all the difference compared to simply reading the words).
As Nicola was speaking, thereās a moment where she moves away from the polished answer and into what feels like genuine thought.
You can hear it in the hesitation, the little stumbles around āI thinkā¦ā and āI feel likeā¦ā Those stumbles matter. To me, thatās the moment where she stops reciting and starts speaking from lived understanding.
And then she says:
āI feel like every woman I meet is like, āOh, I was doing this and I didnāt get it right, or I donāt have enough time, or Iām not a good enough mumā¦āā
Before quickly adding:
āā¦or not good enough.ā
That distinction matters.
She isnāt saying she is not a good enough mum. Sheās speaking about women more broadly - about that familiar guilt and pressure so many carry. But the speed of that last part, and the way she rushes through it, feels telling to me.
Nicola is already a fast talker, but here she moves even fasterā¦ almost like she wants to get past the āmumā part quickly and widen the statement so it feels less personal, less specific.
That, to me, is the slip.
No, it's not a dramatic confession or some grand reveal. It's just a split-second where lived experience shows through before the polished public version catches up.
There's no doubt that Nicola is good at presenting herself, her brand and the narrative that supports that. She prepares the answers and she (and her team) carefully manage what gets said and what gets edited. But instinct is harder to control.
Sometimes, truth lives in the tiny moments... a quiet āour,ā a rushed āmum,ā or a thought that slips out just a little too honestly before it can be pulled back. So we'll keep watching and listening for the slips!
The above is December 2025 (more Neutrogena campaign footage), Nicola's 8ish month bump wrapped up in style. Aimee did an amazing job selecting clothing options that masked the bump. To this day, the fandom is divided on what - to me and many - is obvious.
Aaniin Xxx
P.S. Because I love to take photos of the cherry blossoms blooming all over my city, I'm spreading the blossom love with you š
The term PR relationship has been used in this fandom as a catch all term for all kinds of fake relationships and I think that has caused some confusion. I think the relationships with Antonia and Jake are fake, but not necessarily in the traditional PR sense. I will go through your points and explain what I mean.
I think there are a couple of reasons for the fakery, and some or all can be true at the same time; hiding a relationship (one that has gone on longer than we might think, but after Jade), hiding a budding family (not talking more about that, but protecting what's most precious to you could lead to some drastic measures), seperating them professionally and not interfering with Bridgerton. There are layers to all of these reasons.
1. A lot of the sightings are events, red carpets, pap pics by the same photographer or articles written by the same writer, in the background of influencers' posts, staged meeting with Netflix influencers, sightings that give good publicity to restaurants/hotels/resorts and this is enhanced by candid pics with/by friends and family. That's how these things work. No one is finding Antonia or Jake in fork tines or champagne glasses. They have been put forward. The interesting parts are the ones we are not allowed to see, like who Nic went to dinner with on her bd or where she went to get her tan and with whom (+ lots more).
2. They are famous enough to have fans looking into everything they do on sm, finding out where they live and looking through their windows, going to their favourite pub, tipping off DM about their whereabouts, going to their shows (and J's) multiple times and trying to prove things, getting birth certificates, jumping on a train to another city and staking out a hotel bc of a phone case and a story from the hotel and scouring the Internet for Nic's location and after finding it, following and filming her and Jake. I think that's scary enough to want some extra privacy. Especially for someone who has never been public with a relationship. Even now, when they have seemingly launched with the sides, Jakolas/Lutonias/solos are still trying to prove that these relationships are real.
3. See, this is where some of the other factors come in. Like, for instance, seperating them professionally. They might not want to be that Bridgerton couple and not for people to think they weren't acting, but just being in love on screen.
4. Yes they do. How on earth do you think Antonia got her own pics on getty? She is not famous. In the celebrity world, she is a nobody, but multiple articles have been written where her full name and chosen profession is highlighted and her importance and looks exaggerated. It was so transparent when an article came out before Luke and Antonia were even done at the event where the amount of smoke blown up her ass was incredible. Nic and Jake have been to multiple industry events where he has been introduced to important people.
5. But they do drop pics and hints to sell a story, however the deal for Antonia seems to not include posting events she goes to. If this was a real relationship, I would think an aspiring model would post about getting ready, about the event and so on. Everything about their industry outings are so controlled. How do you not find that strange? And also, their industry outings have changed based on what fans have said about them. Sus as hell!
6. Others in the industry don't want these tactics outed and a lot of industry people might think these relationships are real. Soibahn loves Nic and I think she would do a lot for her. They might actually also like Jake and be fine with him getting a leg up in the industry. JVN doesn't seem to play along. I think he prefers to play Fortnite with Luke.
7. Luke disappears. Don't you find it strange that he can move so invisible in the world for months on end, but when he is totally randomly spotted, it's with Antonia? Antonia shows up like clockwork and gets a like.
8. Jake posts very personal pics of Nic, shares her stuff and she shares his. She promotes him to her 6 million followers. That's impactful. It feeds the narrative and gives him visibility. Nic made sure we knew he was in Malta.
9. Nic has said on multiple occasions that she doesn't like to be disingenious, but she will lie to protect those she loves. Yes, Luke is unfiltered, which is why we see such a stark difference between how he is with Antonia and the loved up, all smiles, googly eyed Luke whenever Nic is around (bts s4, promo s4).
10. I don't think we know the full scope of the gain and therefore can't know if it's worth it or not.
If you look at it through the lens of it all being fake instead of traditional PR relationships, you might see what I see. If these were real relationships, we wouldn't be able to predict patterns and upcoming outings/sightings.
Earlier today āPR Anonā shared a list of what she presented as compelling reasons why Luke & Nicola arenāt in PR relationships. Link to her attempt to convince us of our delusions is below.
Iām sure many of you who read that post had responses to each point immediately circling in your mind. I certainly did. I even considered sending in my own Anon to Sir Dougie ā laying out examples, events, scenarios, and theories to counter each of her claimsā¦ and then didnāt. Sunday. Laziness. š
Happily, my laziness was rewarded. Another Lukola Anon stepped in and did exactly that, laying out everything we were already thinking (and then some) with clarity and precision... quietly dismantling the entire argument in the process.
It was everything we knew, everything we were thinkingā¦ just written out perfectly.
Thank you, Anon!! š
Aaniin Xxx
š¬ 12Ā Ā š 0Ā Ā ā¤ļø 9Ā Ā·Ā PR relationships provide a purpose and undoubtedly exist. The reason I do not believe Luke and Nic are in PR relationships
Am sure all of you are too sensible to be triggered by an image designed by the Tooch to attract supporters and annoy detractors. Itās purely done for relevance & engagement. My advice donāt give her that pleasure and feed the drama. Infact ignore and definitely unfollow her and TSS.
However youāre all grown ups and can do as you please, but I find it mildly amusing, but mainly boring.
Can someone make a side by side of the after TSOT post Luke made with his hand on Nicās ass with the picture of his hand on her thigh in S4 bts? His face, istg.
My theory is theyāve been together Ć very long time, like fall of 22. Mayyyybe with some weird break before the WT for god knows what reasons, on both sides. But once Luke had the green light again, that was it.
Luke was around A in the fall of 23. Circumstances ambiguous but construed as romantic. Nic and Luke do reshoots at the end of 23 where they shoot the last sex scene and Luke sucks Nicās tongue out of her throat on the Bridgerton ride. Nic cries, Like comes to her last day of shooting, they snap a pic, thereās the NYE kiss and tennis, Nic and Luke are at the Baftas and Valentines Day. Remember this sequence as we fast forward.
Remember Nic in Italy slapping Luke with her paddle about mixed messages? Like she was telling him he had to be more clear in his interpersonal dealings.
The claddagh was designed at the latest sometime between Australia, with the menās shirt and tennis shoes in Nicās selfie, and Italy where they see to be spatting and then the next day Luke is clean shaven, ahem, and they are giddy and beyond smitten. The ring only recently disappeared after fans inquired about it at her stage door. And replaced by something else. Both seem to wear a similar style ring now.
Remember the hug in NYC? Johnnyās face as Nic walked toward Luke? The apparent public spat btwn L and A, rumors that she crashed the premiere, and L running interference between A and Nicās family? Aās condescending 23yo face when she spoke to globally famous Nic, Lukeās longtime professions partner? and Nicās face after the encounter?
Remember Brazil? The dinners for two and late night beach walks, claimed on the Tonight Show no less?! And what a meltdown it must have been to cause A to lop off her hair and Luke to go back and follow her posts from the moment they met? Soho happened here again. That conversation must have been interesting. Remember Canada *right* after with what looked like pink lipstick all over Lukeās mouth? This sequence, and the timing of it, almost answers all the questions about contracts if you ask me.
Remember how weird it was to see Lukeās NYC dump, how in your face it was with A and almost no mention of his work? Remember all the NYC-based people Nic followed during that time and how she was AWOL? Interesting, right?
Remember when Luke left HOM abruptly, then did promo. And remember how Nic started rehearsals for TPOTWW soon after?
Remember how Nic seemed to have back to back to back filming obligations and Luke, after HOM, seems to be āstalledā with the exception of a few publicity appearances? Interesting, right?
Ever slowed down the clip of Luke saying Colin is ājust a very, very happy husband right now?ā Watch his face right before he says āhusband.ā Or āheās VERY content, VERY in love.ā To me, itās more telling than āColin would Stan Nicola Coughlan.ā
Remember Luke laughing in Nicās ElleUK video drinking the Guinness, saying sheās going to lose her passport? Which went along with the bedroom chair revelation? ElleUK, one of the most transactional publicity mags around? Which has absolutely nothing to do with Bridgerton. Interesting, right?
Remember Luke at Nicās play and Nicās face as she looked up to the audience? Can someone also make a side by side of Luke looking off to the side with tears in his eyes at his play and Nic all emotional at hers?
You know who they remind me of? Leo and Kate. No one has any doubt they love each other, and Leo looks absurdly devoted in the best way. They remind people a lot of Tom and Zendaya too, and no one is confused about what they are seeing there. Tom and Luke have the same bodyguard tendencies.
I went back recently and watched clips and looked at a lot of the photos of them together from way before the WT, and Luke looks at Nic just the way Leo and Tom look at Kate and Zendaya. And their sustained eye contact, the long silent mutual gazes, the looks when the other one isnāt looking, the way they make each other laugh soo hard, the way they both check each other out. The love (and lust) is unmistakable. Luke has looked at Nic like that from the start, and she wasnāt far behind looking at him the same way, tears in her eyes at the mention of his name. Luke still looked at Nic like that during S4 promo and added hip thrusts in her direction too becauseā¦he has a girlfriend?
Remember all the S4 photos of them holding hands behind the scenes and dancing and snuggling. Iām pretty sure Luke had his entire forearm on Nicās thigh and she had her assets pressed into him. Wasnāt it cute? The cameras werenāt rolling.
Remember who we never get PDA pics of? Thatās right, no convincing PDA to save their lives.
You know why I want a side by side of the TSOT post and the bts pic? Because Luke looks like a smug possessive mf, pardon my French, and Nic looks like joy in one and deeply secure and content in the other. You know, like a couple that is rock rock rock solid. And donāt forget the timing of the S4 bts š.
Weāve seen Luke in the water with A in Cyprus, at dinner, with his family, with her family, at red carpets, trying not to kiss her as she is hanging onto his neck in a parking garage, in pap pics, etc. Surely, at an outdoor bar where again there is no discernible pda, where he whispers, or more likely hollers over the music, something in her ear canāt be the thing that makes everyone jump ship. Right? Right??
4 Reasons PR Relationships Exist & The Playbook That Makes them Work.
Being apart of many fandoms over the years and diving into celebrity culture along with it, I have seen my fair share of fake relationships, shipping drama, rumors, etc. Now, I wouldn't say I am an expert on this topic, but I have researched and observed some of these things happening from time to time.
Feel to free to read it all, skim over it, or scroll past as it's going to be a long post with lots of information. Also, you are free to make what you will from the information provided.
To start off, we need to look at the possible reasons why PR relationships even exist in Hollywood. Each relationship will have their own reasoning that may or may not be included in the list below, but these are the general reasons.
Reason #1 - To Promote aka "Showmance" to promote an upcoming project featuring the two celebrities either in film, tv, or music etc.
Ex: Harry Styles & Olivia Wilde - Rumors began while they were filming Don't Worry Darling, then they "Hard Launched" with a series of paparazzi photos including showing up at a wedding together. They would continue dating for two years only to announce a break up within 2 months after the movie was released. During their "relationship," Olivia followed Harry around on tour. Not to mention there were also questionable timelines of Olivia breaking things off with her Baby Daddy and getting together with Harry... while directing the movie he was starring in.
Reason #2 - To Hide - This has mostly been used to hide the sexuality of a celebrity, however, there are other instances that fall under this reason.
General Privacy - It's known that certain celebrities are all about privacy. There are many that we do not know anything about regarding their personal life because they don't talk about them, share them, or get seen out with them.
Protecting Their Partner - This one and GP could coincide with one another. Many celebs have entered fake relationships to make sure their true partner's identity are hidden. While this may be more for those in same sex or queer relationships, it could also be an option for heterosexual couples.
Controlling the Narrative/Avoiding Public Pressure- What's the best way to keep the public, fans, media, etc, from commenting on your relationship? By keeping it to yourself and letting the public focus on commenting on the fake relationship instead.
Professional Image/Brand - Now, this is usually because two celebrities don't want their relationship to become their brand, so they fake it with other people to make them stand out. Or their true partner doesn't fit the image or brand they are going for, so their team arranges for them to "date" someone who does.
Reason #3 - To Distract - A fake relationship will be thrown into the mix after a scandal or even a poor performing project. One thing about the media and Hollywood is the best way to get everyone from talking about a celeb's bad decision or shit movie is to get them plastered everywhere dating someone new.
Ex: Taylor Swift & Tom Hiddleston were "dating" during the Summer of 2016 that just so happened within weeks of her public breakup with Calvin Harris. Now, Tom addressed the relationship in 2017 saying it was real, but come on now...
Reason #5 - To Keep Relevant - What better way to keep your name in the public eye than by having a very public relationship with articles and people watching your social media for posts, etc.
Now on to the Playbook!
Let's look at these sets of questions, if you can answer yes to any or all of them, then there is a chance a relationship is fake and being used for PR.
Do the people involved have something to promote?Ā
Are there various articles with quotes from inside sources about the relationship?Ā
Is one or both trying to distract from a recent scandal?Ā
Are there pap shots from them on dates or at events?Ā
Is there a higher profile celebrity being linked to a lesser known or nonexistent ācelebā who suddenly ends up with people talking about them and/or booking jobs within the industry?
How to Fake a Relationship based on the PR Playbook:
#1 Strategy:
Determine the Reason
Set Goals & Contract Terms
List all parties that will be involved
#2 Execution:
The Launch: Soft Launch (Subtle Hints on Socials) Hard Launch (Red Carpet Appearance, Pap Photos or Social Media Posts Clearing showing the Relationship)
Pap Photos - Staged candid photos from paps or "fans" that show mundane activities (grocery shopping, walking, biking, leaving a restaurant)
Social Media (After Launch) - Coordinating posts, constant likes/comments/interactions
Award Show/Event Appearance - Attending multiple events to showcase powerful and supportive couple vibes
Family Inclusion - Makes the relationship seem real can include online interactions or real life situations like vacations, birthdays, holidays, etc.
#3 Controlling the Narrative:
Media Plants - Dropping articles with insider or exclusive info about relationship, but without an official statement from the celebs team.
NDA's/Contracts - Make sure all parties involved stick to the deal and/or won't talk about the relationship even after it's over with.
Fast Paced News - Allowing articles, appearances, sightings, photos, etc be hidden quickly by other news so people move on until the next appearance is needed.
#4 Creating Doubt:
The thing about fake relationships is you don't want them to necessarily come off as fake, so it's important to try your best and make it not look perfect. If the key is to get people talking about it, the best way to do that is to make something look off about the relationship, so people will continue to pay attention when they need them too. By doing this, it allows room for people to speculate and look for clues.
It's also important to not share too much about the relationship and make it too public because the more a couple is seeing or linked the less people will care about it. Therefore by having moments of going radio silent, it makes their next appearance or post something people will talk about.
