Nicola Coughlan’s time on Bridgerton got off to a calamitous start after she accidentally stabbed her co-star after a mishap with one of her elaborate costumes. 

The actor, who plays Penelope Featherington in the hit Netflix series, has revealed she drew blood from fellow star Claudia Jessie after an on-set accident. 

Nicola recalled the incident during an appearance on This Morning on Tuesday, telling hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield how it happened as she was unable to hold herself in up her corset and heels. 

She explained: “I went in for my first costume fitting and they were like, ‘you’re very small, maybe we’ll put you in heels’.

“I said, ‘Yep, absolutely’, because I think when you get a big job like that you’re just terrified of messing it up. So you’ll say yes to pretty much everything they ask you.

“It was evident pretty quickly on my first day that I couldn’t walk in these heels,” Nicola continued. “So I was walking along during a scene and then all of a sudden with my corset and everything I had no sort of central strength so I completely toppled over and landed on the ground.

“I got up and was like ‘That’ll never happen again’ and it happened twice more. I fell over three times.

“The third time I was carrying a parasol, which you know held in the wrong hands is a deadly weapon.”

Describing who this incident involved her on-screen sister Claudia, who plays Eloise Bridgerton, Nicola went on: “I fell forward really quickly and I stabbed Claudia Jessie in the hand and it drew blood.

“That was my first day, that was Eloise, yes I stabbed her. But, she forgave me we are still friends.”

Dubbed as Downton Abbey meets Gossip Girl, Bridgerton follows the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family, as she makes her debut on Regency London’s competitive marriage market.

When sparks fly between Daphne and the rebellious Duke of Hastings, played by Rege-Jean Page, they find themselves engaged in a battle of wits while navigating society’s expectations for their futures.

It has proved to be a huge hit for Netflix since debuting on Christmas Day, being watched by 63 million households worldwide in its first four weeks. 

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV, while Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix.