In Bridgerton season 3, we watched as Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) was courted by John Stirling (Victor Alli) before the pair eventually tied the knot in a low-key ceremony. But afterwards, fans got a pretty shocking reveal about what could be next for Francesca’s storyline. Here’s what Bridgertonauthor, Julia Quinn, has to say about it all! Fans of the Bridgertonbook series penned by Julia Quinn know that Francesca actually winds up with someone else, despite having just married John in season 3.
The author’s eight main books in the Bridgerton series each chronicle a different Bridgerton sibling’s search for love. When He Was Wicked, the sixth novel, specifically tackles Francesca’s story, in which John ultimately dies, and she falls in love with his cousin, Michael. But if you remember part two of the season 3 finale, you’ll probably recall being introduced to John’s cousin, a female named Michaela (Masali Baduza). The gender swap for the screen adaptation marks the first queer relationship in the Bridgerton universe, and some fans have reacted with outrage over the switch.
According to an Us Weekly interview with Julia Quinn, she spoke to showrunner Jess Brownell about the change to understand “what they were going to do” and have some input. Julia wanted to make sure that some parts of the original tale were given due respect, including the fact that Francesca truly did love John.
“I know that a lot of people think that there were things that happened in season 3 to indicate that she didn’t really love John. She does, trust me, and that needed to be an important part of the story that both she and Michaela are really mourning him, because that’s the crux of the story,” she explained.
“In When He Was Wicked, they both feel terribly guilty because they both loved this person.”
But while Julia knew about the gender swap more than a year before “everybody else,” she was still shocked at the backlash over making the book character Michael into Michaela on-screen.
“I knew it was going to be a big deal. I mean, I think it is a bigger story change than making the characters more racially diverse. I did not expect the level of meanness among some of the fans,” Julia said.
She admitted that she had more time to “get used” to the idea than fans. Plus, Julia was privy to details surrounding the execution of Francesca and Michaela’s romance, which reassured her stance. Still, certain fans accused her of being a sellout.
“I expected some disappointment, but I didn’t expect people, like, calling me names and saying like, ‘Oh, go deposit your big fat check,’ and, ‘You sold out. You’re a terrible person.’ So that was a little strange, but I’m fine,” Julia stated.
“It’s just, like, if you can’t handle it, there’s always the book. I’m not going to rewrite the book, and you can have one of each.”
Bridgerton is currently in the midst of filming season 4, which is set to spotlight the romance between Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophia Baek (Yerin Ha). It’s expected to be released sometime in 2026. Additionally, the show has already been renewed for seasons 5 and 6. However, it remains unclear which Bridgerton siblings will lead the two subsequent seasons. Whenever Francesca and Michaela’s love story makes it to the small screen, though, Julia is confident it’ll be “great” and tug at fans’ heartstrings.
“I think it’s gonna be great, and I think anything that allows more people to see themselves in the story is a good thing. I don’t know exactly everything [about the script], but I have some sense of what’s gonna happen. I think it’s going to be a heart-wrenching, emotional season, which is what When He Was Wicked was,” she detailed.
