Nicola Coughlan slams people who called her ‘brave as a plus-sized woman’ for baring all in Bridgerton – as she shares delight at being TIME magazine’s new cover star

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Nicola Coughlan slammed people who called her ‘brave as a plus size woman’ for baring it all in Bridgerton as she graced the cover of TIME magazine.

The Derry Girls star, 37, is one of TIME’s Next Generation Leaders and the publication describes her as ‘TV’s breath of fresh air’.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Nicola was proud of the honor as she shared a selection of photos from a glamorous photoshoot.

“So overwhelming, such an honor, thank you @time for having me on your cover (!!!),” she wrote.

But in her interview for the magazine, Nicola told how despite being a few sizes smaller than the female average, she has been called a ‘big heroine’ – and urged fans not to call her ‘brave’ because she appeared naked on screen.

Nicola Coughlan slammed people who called her ‘brave as a plus size woman’ for baring it all in Bridgerton as she graced the cover of TIME magazine

“Don’t call me brave,” she said. ‘I’ve got some great boobs, there’s nothing brave about them, I’m just showing them off really.’

The third season of Brigderton saw Nicola baring all in some seriously raunchy sex scenes with co-star Luke Newton.

She has regularly spoken out against claims that she is ‘brave’ for doing so because of her body type.

In her new interview, Nicola criticized the emphasis placed on her size and shape, asking: ‘What if I suddenly started playing a ballerina and lost a lot of weight, would you stop liking me?’

“That’s insane and so insulting,” she added.

Nicola went on to say that she didn’t like how fans paid so much attention to how she looked during promotion for the latest season of the Netflix series, calling the comments “reductive and boring.”

It’s not the first time Nicola has spoken out against the ‘plus-size’ rhetoric surrounding her role in Bridgerton.

The Derry Girls star, 37, is one of TIME's Next Generation Leaders and the publication describes her as 'TV's breath of fresh air'

The Derry Girls star, 37, is one of TIME’s Next Generation Leaders and the publication describes her as ‘TV’s breath of fresh air’

In the interview, Nicola told how despite being smaller than the female average size, she has been called a 'plus-size heroine' - and urged fans not to call her 'brave' for being naked on screen appeared.

In the interview, Nicola told how despite being smaller than the female average size, she has been called a ‘plus-size heroine’ – and urged fans not to call her ‘brave’ for being naked on screen appeared.

During a Q&A in Dublin about the new series earlier this year, a female journalist commented that she was ‘very brave’ to play the role of Penelope Featherington – which some fans called a ‘backhanded comment’.

In a video recorded by Goss.ie, Nicola responded brilliantly: ‘You know, it’s hard because I think women with my body type – women with perfect breasts – don’t see ourselves on screen enough!’

‘And I’m very proud to be a member of the perfect boob community. I hope you enjoy seeing them.’

Fans of the star were quick to react as the moment began circulating on social media, saying: ‘It must have been one of those insulting, backhanded comments. Nicola is smart!’