Revealed: How Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, 37, met her toyboy lover Jake Dunn, 24

Being connected a making love app arsenic 1 of nan world's astir recognisable women is acold from ideal.

That's why Nicola Coughlan near it up to her Derry Girls co-star and adjacent friend, Louisa Harland, to play cupid erstwhile it came to her emotion life and group her up pinch someone.

And Louisa, 31, deed nan bullseye aft she introduced nan Bridgerton actress, 37, to her champion friend and Renegade Nell co-star, Jake Dunn.

After months of hiding nan budding relationship, Nicola and Jake, 24, yet confirmed their romance connected Wednesday nighttime aft they were spotted returning location hand-in-hand from a pub travel successful North London.

Friends of nan mates told MailOnline: 'They're perfectly besotted pinch each different and person truthful overmuch nosy together. Despite their engaged schedules, they've slotted into each other's lives truthful easy arsenic they stock specified a large group of communal friends.'

Jake, who graduated from nan Guildhall School of Music and Drama past year, has appeared successful projects other Nicola's Derry Girls co-stars Louisa Harland and Dylan Llewellyn, 32.

Like Nicola, nan London-born character has besides starred successful a play drama, Disney's Renegade Nell, other Louisa.

The root added: 'When Derry Girls ended Nicola, Dylan and Louisa remained nan champion of friends and ever supported each different successful their careers truthful it made consciousness Nicola met Jake.'

While still astatine play school, Jake was booked connected for nan Channel 4 Big Boys other Dylan and was written by Jack Rooke who is simply a adjacent friend of Nicola's.

The pack of friends are large supporters of each other's activity and are often spotted hanging retired successful North West London wherever Nicola has a location successful nan trendy Stoke Newington area.

In September, Jake posted an Instagram of Jack, 31, successful a pub wearing a shot headdress which publication Nicola Coughlan, matched pinch a t-shirt which read: 'And her cleanable breasts.'

Louisa was besides pictured wearing a shot headdress which read, 'Shady Whistledown' a motion to Jake's girlfriend's characteristic successful Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, being nan mysterious Lady Whistledown.

The brace were first spotted together arsenic acold backmost arsenic March erstwhile posing for an Instagram communicative shared by 1 of Jake's co-stars successful Renegade Nell.

In August the brace were seen astatine London's All Points East festival pinch their arms wrapped astir each different dancing, but their narration was not confirmed.

MailOnline tin uncover nan mates person enjoyed a summertime pinch their web of adjacent friends attending festivals, drinking Guinness and playing Scrabble astatine Nicola's section pub successful Stoke Newington.

Two weeks agone nan mates were spotted successful New York astatine a taping of nan late-night drama show, SNL, and 1 onlooker said: 'Her fellow stood by her broadside proudly while group kept coming up instrumentality girling.'

While nan 37-year-old Irish character from Galway has been connected nan acting circuit for complete 10 years, uncovering her large break successful nan Channel 4 show Derry Girls, Jake is caller retired of play school.

But nan handsome British character bagged nan lead domiciled successful a Disney series, Renegade Nell, pinch a 2nd bid commissioned astir him, respective shape shows, a Netflix bid and a characteristic movie - each while still astatine play school.

As a rising prima successful nan industry, Jake boasts a slew of celebrated friends including nan likes of The Trial of Christine Keeler's Ellie Bamber and Sex Education's Connor Swindell.