Nicola Coughlan confirms romance with Renegade Nell actor Jake Dunn as ‘besotted’ couple are spotted returning home hand-in-hand from a pub trip in London

Being on a dating app as one of the most recognizable women in the world is far from ideal.

That’s why Nicola Coughlan left it to her Derry Girls co-star and close friend Louisa Harland to play cupid when it came to her love life and set her up with someone.

And Louisa, 31, hit the mark after introducing the Bridgerton actress, 37, to her best friend and Renegade Nell co-star, Jake Dunn.

After keeping their budding relationship under wraps for months, Nicola and Jake, 24, finally confirmed their romance on Wednesday night after they were spotted returning home hand-in-hand from a pub trip in North London.

Friends of the couple told MailOnline: ‘They are absolutely in love with each other and are having so much fun together. Despite their busy schedules, they have found themselves in each other’s lives so easily because they share such a large group of mutual friends.”

Nicola was seen snuggling up to the Renegade Nell star as they walked home together

Jake, who graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama last year, appeared in projects opposite Nicola’s Derry Girls colleagues Louisa Harland and Dylan Llewellyn, 32.

Like Nicola, the London-born actor also starred in a period drama, Disney’s Renegade Nell, opposite Louisa.

The source added: ‘When Derry Girls ended Nicola, Dylan and Louisa remained best friends and always supported each other in their careers, so it made sense for Nicola to meet Jake.’

While still at drama school, Jake was booked for the Channel 4 Big Boys opposite Dylan and was written by Jack Rooke, a close friend of Nicola.

The gang of friends are big supporters of each other’s work and are often seen in North West London, where Nicola has a house in the trendy Stoke Newington area.

In September, Jake posted an Instagram of Jack, 31, in a pub wearing a baseball cap featuring Nicola Coughlan, paired with a t-shirt that read: ‘And her perfect boobs.’

Louisa was also pictured wearing a baseball cap that read ‘Shady Whistledown’, a nod to Jake’s girlfriend’s character in Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, being the mysterious Lady Whistledown.

Nicola and Jake introduced themselves with their arms around each other as they walked home to the pub

The couple were photographed holding hands as they went on a fun date at an Irish bar

Nicola’s character in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton is Penelope Featherington, who is unmasked as the mysterious Lady Whistledown

The pair were first spotted together back in March when they posed for an Instagram story shared by one of Jake’s co-stars in Renegade Nell.

In August, the pair were spotted dancing at London’s All Points East festival with their arms around each other, but their relationship was not confirmed.

MailOnline can reveal the couple enjoyed a summer with their network of close friends visiting festivals, drinking Guinness and playing Scrabble at Nicola’s local pub in Stoke Newington.

Two weeks ago, the couple was spotted in New York at a taping of the late-night comedy show SNL, and an onlooker said, “Her boyfriend proudly stood by her side as people kept fangirling.”

While the 37-year-old Irish actress from Galway has been on the acting circuit for over a decade and got her big break in the Channel 4 show Derry Girls, Jake is fresh out of drama school.

But the handsome British actor landed the lead role in a Disney series, Renegade Nell, with a second commissioned series surrounding him, several shows, a Netflix series and a feature film – all while still at drama school.

As a rising star in the industry, Jake has a host of famous friends, including Ellie Bamber from The Trial of Christine Keeler and Connor Swindell from Sex Education.