Bridgerton fans urged to watch raunchy period drama that's even 'more shocking'

Restless Bridgerton fans waiting for the next instalment to drop on Netflix are being encouraged to give an underrated ITV show a spin.

Earlier this month, Bridgerton series three part one debuted on the streaming platform with Penelope Featherington (played by Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) stepping into starring roles.

Meanwhile, family matriarch Violet (Ruth Gemmell) was on hand to help daughter Francesca (Hannah Dodd) debut, while Eloise (Claudia Jessie) struck up an unlikely friendship with antagonist Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen).

Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan star in Bridgerton series three. (Netflix)

However, Bridgerton series three story isn’t over yet; another four episodes are heading our way next month.

In a bid to stop binging, Netflix elected to split the third season of the Regency romance series in half - with the final four episodes hitting the streamer on June 13.

While many Shondaland production fans are waiting with bated breath, others are branching out and trying more dramas on for size.

One raunchy project that has caught the attention of the masses is Sanditon.

If you haven’t heard of the ITV offering before then check out the trailer for season one below:

Sanditon is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s famously unfinished manuscript.

Originally titled The Brothers, the late author only completed eleven full chapters of the romantic novel 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).

Theo James plays Sidney Parker in Sanditon. (ITV)

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 Regency-era drama features heartache, steamy sex scenes and male nudity.

Before you jump right in though, you need to know that Sanditon is essentially Bridgerton’s more shocking, less polite older sister.

Over the ‘sexed-up’ three seasons, storylines include incestuous relationships, same-sex love and notes of racism.

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

However, the content warnings aren’t stopping some Bridgerton fans from falling head-over-heels in love with the project.

Taking to social media to sing Sanditon’s praises, one fan wrote: “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 are available to stream on ITVX. (ITV)

A second wrote: “One thing I love about my Bridgeton obsession is how it helps me discover other period dramas either to wean myself off the excitement of one season or to distract myself from waiting for the new season. Sanditon, The Gilded Age, and now The Buccaneers. The Bridgerton effect.”

Another typed: “Omg? they really did a step-bro/step-sis storyline on Sanditon????? SPICY!”

“The energy that Bridgerton has is what the first season of Sanditon deserved, neither forgiveness nor forgetting,” commented another.

All three seasons of Sanditon are available to stream on ITVX now.