Fans speculate a twist could restore one book-accurate romance in Bridgerton Season 4, undoing the blunder done in Season 3.
Bridgerton Season 4 is around the corner, and there seems to be a growing penchant among fans when it comes to wild and crazy theories. One such growing fan theory circulating online suggests that the show could “fix” a controversial change made in Season 3, aka gender swapping Michaela.
In the books by Julia Quinn, Michael Stirling is Francesca Bridgerton’s eventual love interest in When He Was Wicked. In the Netflix series, however, this character was reimagined as Michaela Stirling (played by Masali Baduza). This queer storyline for Francesca led to widespread backlash from fans.
Given the fan reaction, some fans feel the streaming giant might eventually reveal Michaela has an identical twin brother, Michael, who could appear later. According to this theory, Michaela would remain part of the show’s queer representation, while the character of Michael could still appear to satisfy readers and longtime fans of the books.
Why Do Fans Hate Netflix’s ‘Franchaela’ Swap?
The controversy centers on Netflix’s decision to change Michael Stirling into Michaela Stirling in the TV adaptation, without giving Francesca and John’s storyline to evolve.
In When He Was Wicked, the book dedicated to Francesca’s story, Michael is central to her arc: after her first husband, John, dies, Michael loves her from afar and eventually becomes her partner.
By gender swapping the character, the show adds another glaring narrative flaw. The reason why Francesca went back to the ton was that she had always had hope of being a mother. Even though she loved John endlessly, it was her wanting to be a mother that made her seek another match. So, by changing the gender, the book and Francesca’s love story make little sense and essentially remove one huge part of the character’s personality.
So, when the series introduced Michaela at the end of Season 3 instead of Michael, some viewers reacted strongly, starting online petitions and voicing dissatisfaction. While the cast and crew have defended the decision, the overall arc and execution feel rushed and mismatched, leaving many dissatisfied.
While the fan theory gives some hope, as of now, there is no sign that the show’s creative team will plan such a twist.
Lady Danbury Gets MBE from Prince William
While Francesca’s love story remains in turmoil and fans get ready to witness Benedict Bridgerton getting his own moment to shine, there is a separate celebratory development for Bridgerton talent.
Actress Adjoa Andoh, who plays the formidable Lady Agatha Danbury in the show, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to drama. The investiture was presented by Prince William at Windsor Castle in December 2025 (via Woman and Home).
Andoh, 62, has enjoyed a distinguished acting career spanning more than four decades, including roles in Doctor Who, Casualty, and numerous stage productions, in addition to the Netflix period drama. While at the ceremony, the actress spoke about feeling humbled but also getting a sense of imposter syndrome.
I feel great imposter syndrome because I like what I do and drama’s the world I live in. I feel very honoured to receive the honour from Prince William. I think he’s doing amazing things for homelessness and for young people.
The actress, who has been working at St Mungo’s helping young people, also discussed the issue of homelessness with the Prince of Wales.
As Bridgerton builds toward Season 4, many such fan theories will continue to grow. What is your favorite Bridgerton fan theory? Let us know in the comments below.
Bridgerton Season 4 will premiere on Netflix in two parts: Part 1 on January 29, 2026, and Part 2 on February 26, 2026.
