Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton‘ concludes its fourth season, giving a happily ever after to Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek, after they successfully manage to cross the hurdles keeping them from being with one another. Apart from the happy ending for the couple, the show also leaves pertinent questions about major characters, including the mystery of a new Lady Whistledown and the question of which Bridgerton sibling is going to find their one true love next. Fortunately, the fans won’t have to wait too long to get these answers.
In May 2025, Netflix renewed the show for a fifth and a sixth season. In February 2026, showrunner Jess Brownell confirmed that the scripts for the fifth season are almost done. The fifth season is supposed to go into production in spring 2026, and they are trying to speed up the process so the fans don’t have to wait two whole years for the next chapter in the lives of the Bridgertons. Considering this, the next season is expected to land sometime in late 2027 or early 2028.
Bridgerton Season 5 Will be Led by Eloise or Francesca
While Netflix confirmed that ‘Bridgerton’ will continue for the next two seasons, details about the next season’s lead have not yet been revealed. Usually, this is revealed at the start of the season’s production, or soon after, so we might have to wait a few weeks to find out. However, there are clearly only two choices for the next season. It will either focus on Eloise, adapting ‘To Sir Phillip, With Love,’ or Francesca, bringing the events of ‘When He Was Wicked’ to the screen. If the show follows Eloise’s storyline, we will see the return of familiar faces like Marina Thompson and Phillip Crane, who were last seen in the second season of ‘Bridgerton.’
In the book, Marina dies, and a correspondence develops between Eloise and Phillip, eventually leading to their falling in love. Given that the fourth season leaves us entirely clueless about Eloise’s future, there is a possibility that the show might try to mix things up by introducing a new love interest for her, while keeping in line with the book’s themes. Meanwhile, the storyline for Francesca’s story has already been set up. In the book, she ends up marrying John’s cousin, Michael, who is Michaela in the show. With John’s death, Francesca is single again, and the attraction between her and Michaela has been hinted at. This means that the show could pick up on this pre-established connection between the characters and turn the full spotlight towards Francesca.
Bridgerton Season 5 Will Introduce New Cast Members
With Eloise and Francesca being the next in line, Claudia Jessie and Hannah Dodd will have more screentime in the fifth season of ‘Bridgerton.’ If it turns out to be Eloise’s season, we might see Chris Fulton and Ruby Baker reprise their roles as Sir Philip Crane and Marina Thompson. Meanwhile, Masali Baduza has been confirmed to return as Michaela Stirling, regardless of who the lead of the season is. We also expect the return of Ruth Gemmell as Violet Bridgerton, Florence Hunt as Hyacinth, Will Tilston as Gregory, Nicola Coughlan as Penelope, Luke Newton as Colin, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich, Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich, Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte, and Hugh Sachs as Brimsley.
Depending on what route the story takes, we might see Daniel Francis return as Lord Anderson. In the same vein, Luke Thompson’s Benedict, Yerin Ha’s Sophie, Jonathan Bailey’s Anthony, and Simone Ashley’s Kate will also return, depending on what role they will play in the storyline of the next sibling. While Victor Alli’s John Stirling dies in the fourth season, flashbacks might allow him to come back in a cameo. Most notably, even with the rise of a new Lady Whistledown, the character will still be voiced by Julie Andrews. Other regular cast members like Jessica Madsen’s Cressida, Polly Walker’s Portia Featherington, and Lorraine Ashbourne’s Mrs. Varley, among others, are also expected to return, while new cast members join the series.
Bridgerton Season 5 Will Continue to Expand the Supporting Storylines
No matter which Bridgerton sibling gets their happily ever after next, the show will continue to build upon other mysteries. The most notable of them is the emergence of a new Lady Whistledown after Penelope lets go of the title. The mystery will deepen as more clues are left for the audience, but there is a good chance the answer won’t be revealed to us in the fifth season. Additionally, other supporting characters will see an expansion in their arcs, particularly Alice Mondrich, who becomes Queen Charlotte’s new lady-in-waiting and a prospective replacement for Lady Danbury, while she is away on her travels. The next season will continue to strengthen Alice’s position in society, especially now that she has the Queen’s ear.
The season is also likely to bring back Benedict and Sophie, as we get to witness their married life. While Sophie will finally get to be a part of the ton and experience a new kind of life, Benedict is expected to play an important role in Eloise and Francesca’s storylines. His and Eloise’s bond has been pretty strong since the first season, so it would make sense for him to be around to support her as she embarks on her romantic endeavors. At the same time, being the only other queer Bridgerton, he will be extremely helpful to Francesca as she understands and comes to terms with her feelings for Michaela.
At the same time, Violet may embark on a new adventure, considering that she and Lord Anderson part ways at the end of Season 4, when she feels that things are progressing too quickly. She expresses her desire to get to know herself more, rather than becoming someone’s wife again, which means that Violet’s character will likely find new hobbies and interests, including a love interest. The next season will also give more screentime to Hyacinth and Gregory, setting the foundation on which the prospective seventh and eighth seasons of the show will stand.
Read More: Is Sophie Pregnant in Bridgerton? How is Sophie Allowed to Marry Benedict?
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