We gentle readers have been left without Lady Whistledown’s gossip for over a year now, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in desperate need of an update—or even the faintest whisper of what’s to come. And recently, Netflix has delivered with a new teaser trailer that included a date announcement. Yup, that’s right, we know exactly how much longer we have to wait for Bridgerton Season 4, and even better–it isn’t as long a wait as you might have expected.
When Will Season 4 Premiere?
Bridgerton Season 4 is set to be released in two parts in 2026, with the first four episodes scheduled for release on January 29 and the remaining four episodes to follow on February 26. Cue the confetti–they aren’t making us wait a full two years like last time, when there were roughly 26 months between season 2 and season 3.
Who Will Be This Season’s Leading Bridgerton?
The new season will center around the romantic plot of the middle Bridgerton brother, Benedict. In the most recent season, Benedict explored an unconventional relationship with a widow named Lady Tilley Arnold, but it ended on amicable terms, and it seemed like Benedict was finally ready for a more serious relationship. Perfect lead in for him to join the courting season for the first time!
Who Will Be The New Love Interest?
A new character will be introduced and become the focus of Benedict’s “real” love story, and her name is Sophie Baek. Based on the teaser trailers and going off of Book 3: An Offer from a Gentleman (the book this season is based on), it will follow a Cinderella Story type trope. So already, it has the potential of being the best Bridgerton season yet!
Sophie is said to be a maid of lower social standing who works for someone in the ton. In the trailer, we see her at a masquerade ball in all silver, and because of that, she will be deemed the Lady in Silver–being that Benedict won’t know who she truly is early on in the story. She ends up leaving behind one of her silver gloves, so I have a feeling that will be the glass slipper Benedict holds onto in an attempt to find the mysterious woman who captured his heart at first glance.
What Else Can We Expect from Season 4?
The couples from seasons 2 and 3, Kate & Anthony and Penelope & Colin, will return, both continuing the story of their new marriages and all that comes along with it. However, the couple from season 1, Simon and Daphne, will once again not appear together–only the eldest Bridgerton sister will continue into season 4. Unfortunately, the actor who plays Simon, Regé-Jean Page, has no interest in continuing his role. But at least we get to continue their love story with a mention of him here and there.
In addition to Anthony, Colin, and Daphne, all of the other Bridgerton siblings will make appearances this season, although it is unlikely that any of them will have major roles. As for who will be the lead in the season following Benedict’s, there haven’t been any official announcements, but most are convinced it will be Eloise. After all, the fifth book in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series (To Sir Phillip, With Love) is about Eloise.
With the female romantic lead being a character from a lesser social standing, it sounds like the show will finally shed light on the lives of those who are not part of the ton. We have had a few characters, here and there, like Eloise’s love interest in season 1, who worked at Lady Whistledown’s print shop, and Will, the boxer–who eventually made his way into the ton. But they didn’t allow either of these characters’ stories to do a deep dive into the social divide. Hopefully, the Lady in Silver will change that!
As for Lady Whistledown herself–well, now that she has been exposed and accepted as Penelope, I assume she will continue writing gossip. However, it might be harder to get the tea now that everyone knows who she is and she is no longer a ‘wallflower’, so to speak.
And Now, the Waiting Begins…
With a date finally able to be written on our calendars, the countdown begins. I have no doubts that the next season of Bridgerton will continue to be the talk of the ton and to set the bar for slow-burn romance. My only question is if they can one-up themselves with an even more epic love story this time around.
