Benedict Bridgerton, brother to a powerful viscount, has a closet befitting his station. But the artist’s portrayer Luke Thompson needs some new threads. Because an unforgettable masquerade ball is coming to Mayfair — and with it, Benedict as the lead of Bridgerton Season 4.
That’s right, the man who once mooed from the corner of the ballroom is about to be the focal point of the marriage mart as he searches for a mysterious woman called the Lady in Silver. “Benedict has always been a little lost — or free depending on the way you want to look at it. But now he’s trying to find something a bit more solid in himself,” Thompson tells Tudum.
You can watch him charmingly accept Benedict’s prominent future in the video above.
Executive producer Shonda Rhimes appreciates Benedict’s ability to “light up” Bridgerton’s spin on Regency London. “He’s a charming man who’s trying to find his way,” she tells Tudum. “He’s very delightful and funny. I’m excited for everybody to watch him.”
So what surprises will we witness as Benedict takes over the Bridgerton mantle? And what else should you expect from Season 4? Keep reading to find out.
Who is Bridgerton Season 4 about?
Benedict Bridgerton is stepping into the center of the ballroom. Season 4, as the logline reads, “turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict. Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down.” That is until an enchanting woman dubbed the Lady in Silver captures Benedict’s attention at Violet Bridgerton’s (Ruth Gemmell) masquerade ball. Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Colin (Luke Newton) must be proud.
Showrunner Jess Brownell is “very excited” to glide into Benedict’s upcoming love story after following his growth for three seasons. “It felt important for him to explore the fullness of himself before he settles down,” she tells Tudum. “He is someone who has big appetites, and we wanted to see him living a big life before he goes into settle-down mode.”
Now what could that more quiet life look like for Benedict? “I’m excited for where we’re going with him in Season 4. There are a lot of things I want to say about it, but I should probably wait … ,” Brownell teases.
How many episodes is Bridgerton Season 4?
The upcoming season of Bridgerton will be eight episodes.
What happens to the characters before Bridgerton Season 4?
Although Benedict will lead Bridgerton Season 4, he’s not the only family member with a busy love life. So, as we wait to see where everyone’s journeys of passion, scandal, and surprise send them next, let’s take a refresher, with a little help from Brownell and the rest of the cast. And, if you want a status update on all the weddings and breakups of the last few season, you can get a rundown here.
After years as a widow, the ton’s most romantic mama may be ready for someone to tend to her garden. The dowager viscountess has instant chemistry with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), brother of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh). In the Season 3 finale, Violet invites Marcus to Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) tight-knit wedding and shares a dance with him during the Dankworth-Finch Ball.
In the latter episodes of Season 3, the viscount and viscountess travel to India in preparation for their birth of their first child. As with their honeymoon, Anthony leaves the duties of the viscounty in the capable hands of his oldest brother, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).
Season 4’s star is returning to Mayfair with a whole new understanding of himself. Through a relationship with Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) and Paul Suarez (Lucas Aurelio), Benedict has realized he has more romantic possibilities than he expected. It doesn’t matter if “Patricia, or Polly, or Peter, or all three at once” are in front of him.
“His identity has been little bit of a question mark, but it doesn’t ever seem to really bother him,” Thompson tells Tudum. “It often feels like … ‘You’re either this, or you’re this.’ He’s finding it out.”
But, Brownell explains, Benedict is far more “open-minded” than his peers. “Season 3 also puts him in a place where he’s really exploring more sides of himself,” she says. “I think he feels things very deeply.” As Bridgerton has taught us, every great romantic hero does need to be in touch with his truest emotions.
Season 3’s central lovers have gotten their happily-ever-after moment. Penelope has revealed herself as Lady Whistledown (with Queen Charlotte’s blessing, no less), married her long-time crush, and become the mother of the next Lord Featherington. Colin is soaking in the brilliance of his wife and also enjoying his own writing success, with the publication of his book, Traveling with Myself.
Newton and Coughlan can’t wait to see Polin bask in their joy. “When you go through your season, there’s always twists and turns because it’s interesting to watch,” Newton tells Tudum. “But once you’ve had your moment, it’s really nice to see how they’ll navigate married life. It’ll be a place of comfort for them and they’ll really enjoy it.”
But it’s still possible some scandal could be lurking in Season 4. As Penelope points out, the queen’s (Golda Rosheuvel) favor could disappear at any moment as she continues to write Lady Whistledown under her own name. “Lady Whistledown has been Penelope the whole time,” Coughlan says. “She has finally accepted, ‘Yeah, that is me. And you know what? I’m really proud of it. Look what I achieved.’ She stands in her power. It’s great.”
So, with royal eyes watching, “it’ll never be just chill and quiet,” Newton says. “I can’t wait to see what happens with all that.”
Eloise (Claudia Jessie) is sailing into Season 4 curious about what else the world has to offer. She spent Season 3 giving the ton her very best, and still found the balls and lemonade lacking. So she decides to accompany Francesca and her new husband Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli) to the latter’s primary property in Scotland. Jessie believes a social season without Penelope’s friendship gave Eloise the independence she required for the voyage.
“That was the courage that she needed to then be like, ‘I’m going to go to Scotland with my sister, forever third-wheeling,’ ” Jessie tells Tudum.
Scotland is welcoming a new set of newlyweds. Francesca and John are going to the Highlands with Eloise … and John’s cousin, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), a gender-swapped take on Michael Stirling, who appears in the book When He Was Wicked.
“Bridgerton book readers will know what it means when Francesca meets Michaela at the end of Season 3,” Brownell says. “You’ll just have to wait to see, going forward, what we do with that.”
How do I learn more about Bridgerton Season 4?
Well, that is easier than winning a game of cards against Gregory Bridgerton (Will Tilston). Just keep coming right back here to Tudum for all your Bridgerton (and Benedict) news.
