The third season of Bridgerton hasn’t even been out for 24 hours, and all we want to know is when Bridgerton season 4 is coming, which book it’s going to be based on, and who’s going to return. Some may call that greedy, but I think Lady Whistledown—sorry, Penelope Bridgerton—would gamely support our inquiries and any gossip we might get. (Warning: Spoilers ahead for season 3 and the books.)
Bridgerton season 4 (and season 3) showrunner and executive producer Jess Brownell understands. Even though part two of the third season just premiered, Brownell and the writers are already hard at work on the new season. Filming hasn’t begun yet, but she says they “will start this year.”
Based on the elaborate nature of each episode, that likely means (though this is not confirmed) season 4 will premiere—at the earliest—in the latter half of 2025, or even early 2026. (Keep in mind there was more than two years between seasons 2 and 3, though the pandemic and double strikes also factored in.)
So now the question turns to which Bridgerton sibling will be the focus of that highly anticipated fourth season. The much-assumed answer is Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), who fans thought was going to be the focus of season 3 because he’s next in line after Anthony and was the subject of the third book, An Offer From a Gentleman. (As you’ll remember, in a major twist, Shondaland switched up the order and moved the fourth book—Romancing Mr. Bridgerton—to season 3.)
But at the end of season 3, Benedict doesn’t seem to be ready to be the leading man quite yet. After starting up a dalliance with Lady Tilley Arnold, and then engaging in a threesome with Tilley and her friend Paul, he declared he wasn’t ready to get serious with her or anyone else for that matter. He thanked Tilley for opening his world and showing him what it means to be free, so now’s not the time for him to close the door on that. And while he tells Tilley that it wouldn’t have mattered if Paul was a woman, he also tells Eloise that he’s wrestling with confusion about life.
“I personally feel like Benedict reads as queer in seasons 1 and 2, and I think a lot of audiences have felt that way as well,” EP Brownell tells Glamour. “In the writers room, we wanted to make sense of that. Benedict is figuring out his place in society…and how he can skirt the rules of society while being true to himself.”
Readers know that in An Offer From a Gentleman, Benedict falls for a woman named Sophie Beckett. Brownell is tight-lipped on details for the series and won’t reveal when we’ll meet Sophie, but says we will “see her at some point.”
While it might seem unlikely that Benedict’s story would have to wait until season 5 to be told (and Bridgerton hasn’t even been renewed past season 4, though we know it will), the developments in the last five minutes of season 3 could lean toward Francesca’s story being next in line.
Francesca and John Stirling have just tied the knot when Eloise imposes upon the new couple by asking to move with them to John’s castle in Scotland. John doesn’t need convincing at all because he’s already planned to have his cousin, Michaela Stirling, join them too. It’s a big twist for book readers, considering in the sixth book, When He Was Wicked, John’s cousin is Michael Stirling—not Michaela. (Also, in the book, John passes away, and eventually Francesca and Michael become involved.)
Given that this development will cause the most fan theories to circulate the internet, it’s a strong possibility Francesca’s story could get the season 4 treatment for two reasons: One, Brownell tells Glamour that they will film in Scotland at some point (“I can’t say when, but we plan to do some shooting in Scotland”). And two, she confirms we’ll be seeing more of Masali Baduza, who plays Michaela, next season.
“I can’t wait for people to get to know her more,” Brownell says. “I’m just sad that people are only getting to meet her for those 10 seconds at the end of season 3 because she’s incredible.” In fact, the role is so important that the producers flew her out from South Africa to do a chemistry read with Hannah Dodd, who plays Francesca. “She absolutely nailed it, and I remember the moment Hannah met Masali. After Masali left, she said, ‘Well, that’s her.’ Hannah could feel it. [Masali] and I have had a lot of talks about the weight and importance of her role. And she’s really stepped into it with just wonderful energy.”
Up until now, there hasn’t been a main queer relationship on the show—and fans have noticed. “Queer audiences haven’t gotten the chance to see themselves represented in a major way on the show, which is a show that is in so many other ways so inclusive,” Brownell says. “So I would just ask people to channel some empathy for those viewers, and to understand the importance of us allowing those viewers to see themselves represented.”
Brownell goes on to add that there are “as many different kinds of queer experiences as there are queer people. We get to see a version of it with Benedict, and we’ll get to see a very different version of it with Francesca in the future.”
But if season 4 doesn’t focus on Benedict or Francesca, then it might very well be fan-favorite Eloise, the subject of the fifth book, To Sir Phillip, With Love.
“I think we can be frank about the fact that it’s either Benedict, Eloise, or Francesca—it’s one of the three,” Brownell says. “All three of them have a lot of growth still ahead of them, and that’s very intentional. I’ve seen people saying, ‘Well, if it’s any one of the three of them, then they would need X amount of growth to happen ahead of their season.’ We don’t approach it that way. We want to save as much growth as we can for that person’s season and actually start them as much at the beginning of their journey as we can so that we can see the way they evolve in conjunction with their love interest.”
Regardless of whom season 4 will focus on, the other big question is which cast members will return from previous seasons. Regé-Jean Page left after being the main love interest in season 1, and Phoebe Dynevor only made a handful of appearances as the eldest Bridgerton sibling in season 2. (She didn’t return for season 3.)
Brownell says the intention is for Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton to reprise their roles as Penelope and Colin in season 4, especially since Penelope’s role as Lady Whistledown is now out in the open. “For every leading couple, we want to have them around as much as we can, especially in the season directly after their season,” Brownell says. “I’ve talked to Nicola and Luke about the fact that there is more story to tell. Everyone knows who Penelope/Lady Whistledown is now and knows she’s reporting on them. That brings with it a new set of challenges. Luke and Nicola have said they’re game, and I’m very excited to see where they’re going to go.”
Things may not look as promising for Kate and Anthony since the duo left for India at the end of episode 307, as Kate plans to give birth in her home country. However, Brownell says their characters won’t be based in India for good, and it’s her hope that actors Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey will be back at some point. “I currently have some really exciting thoughts for them both in season 4, and we’re working on it,” she says. “There is hope to have them back as much as we are able to make happen.”
And then, of course, there’s Dame Julie Andrews as our narrator now that Pen’s true identity is out in the open. While Brownell says thematically it would seem as though Andrews’s time has come to an end on the show, they want to keep her in the Bridgerton universe forever.
“She is just such a part of the feeling of the show,” Brownell says. “We’re playing around in season 4 with ways that we can explain why it’s still Julie Andrews [as the narrator].”
So, there you go. No, we don’t know when season 4 will premiere or who it will be about, but be patient, dear gentle readers. Answers are coming.