Eight episodes, a carriage ride full of passion, and the dramatic revelation of Lady Whistledown’s identity. The third season has just ended, and we’re already eager to see Bridgerton 4.
Although the love story between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has concluded, the next love story has already been promised: the TV series Bridgerton will have a fourth season.
“I’m very, very excited about what we’re preparing for the fourth season,” revealed Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell in an interview.
But when will the new episodes come out? And most importantly, what can we expect from our favorite Regency series? Here’s what we know so far about Bridgerton 4.
Is Bridgerton Season 4 confirmed?
Yes, the renewal for the fourth season of Bridgerton was announced back in 2021, alongside the confirmation of the third season.
At the time, executive producer Shonda Rhimes released a statement, expressing her excitement about continuing the Bridgerton universe.
“From the first time I read Julia Quinn’s delightful Bridgerton series, I knew these stories would captivate audiences,” she said.
What Do We Know About the Upcoming Episodes
Even Lady Whistledown wouldn’t risk revealing all the secrets of the fourth season of Bridgerton.
Currently, no spoilers have been revealed about the new episodes.
However, we do know the story of our favorite Regency family up to the end of the third season. So, while we wait to see the upcoming romances (and especially the next scandals), here’s a brief recap.
Violet Bridgerton
After years as a widow, the matriarch of the Bridgerton clan might be ready for a new love. The Viscountess has instant chemistry with Lord Marcus Anderson, Lady Danbury’s brother, and at the end of the third season, Violet and Marcus dance together at the Dankworth-Finch ball.
Anthony and Kate
In the final episodes of the third season, Anthony and Kate travel to India in preparation for the birth of their first child. As during their honeymoon, Anthony leaves the duties of the viscountcy in the capable hands of his older brother, Benedict Bridgerton.
Benedict Bridgerton
Benedict heads into the fourth season with a new understanding of himself. Through a polyamorous relationship with Lady Tilley Arnold and Paul Suarez, Benedict has realized he has more romantic possibilities than he expected.
Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise heads into the fourth season eager to discover what else the world has to offer her. She spent the third season giving her best in London’s ton but found it all very disappointing. So, she decides to accompany Francesca and her new husband, Lord John Stirling, to their main estate in Scotland. The creators revealed they believe a social season without Penelope’s friendship gave Eloise the independence needed for her journey.
Colin and Penelope
The protagonists of the third season celebrated their happily ever after. Penelope revealed her identity as Lady Whistledown, married her longtime love, and became the mother of the next Lord Featherington. Colin is enjoying the brilliance of his wife and his success as a writer, with the publication of his travel book.
Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan are eager to see their couple enjoy happiness in the upcoming seasons.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with all of this,” said the actor, adding, “It’s really interesting to see how they will handle married life. It will be a place of comfort for them, and they’ll really enjoy it.”
However, there may still be some scandal lurking in the fourth season. As Penelope pointed out in the season finale, the queen’s favor could fade at any moment while she continues to write as Lady Whistledown under her real name.
Who Will Be the Lead in the Next Season?
Although Netflix has not yet officially designated the next lead of Bridgerton 4, there seem to be some clues in the finale of the third season.
Everything seems to point to the second son, Benedict Bridgerton, emerging from a surprising polyamorous storyline to discover he is “totally confused” about what he wants from life.
What Benedict knows for sure is that he will reunite with his sister Eloise at their mother’s masquerade ball, the place where the character meets his true love, Sophie, in Julia Quinn’s novels.
Showrunner Jess Brownell shared what she is most excited to explore in Benedict’s story. “When the time comes for Benedict, it will be interesting to explore the fact that he is a person capable of loving many different kinds of people.”
“There’s this moment at the end of the third season when Tilley Arnold says to him, ‘It was nice, for once, to want to commit to someone.’ And for me, this is the line that pushes Benedict toward his possible future: the idea that he knows, deep down, that while he is capable of breadth, he hasn’t yet been capable of depth. And in the end, I think this will make him feel very alone.”
When Will Bridgerton 4 Come Out?
“We’re working to try to release seasons more quickly, but writing takes time. Then it takes eight months to shoot, and then they have to be edited and dubbed in all languages,” said showrunner Jess Brownell. “We’re on a schedule of about two years.”
This means that the new season of Bridgerton might not be ready until 2026.
