Bridgerton Season 4: Storyline Speculations and What ifs

With the announcement of the season 4 release date, and some press days already happening, I thought it is time for a fun post of speculation and what ifs about season 4 plot points. Before you read on note that this is not meant to be taken as necessarily what I think will happen, or what I want to happen in season 4 (some may be a little controversial), this is looking at some possibilities of what could happen. 

Kate and Anthony (and Violet and Eloise) provide the advice to Benedict (and maybe Sophie)

For previous seasons it has been set up that the immediate preceding couple provides the 'advice', or 'helps', the leads of the season, however, I think it is possible that this could change in season 4. Benedict and Anthony are close, and from season 3 we saw that Benedict also has a close relationship with Kate, but also both Benedict and Sophie will be centred in Bridgerton House, so it makes sense that it is Kate and Anthony who becomes the guides for their season - but not only them. 

It makes little sense for Colin and Penelope, who live in a different house, to be the guiding couple, especially as Penelope and Benedict haven't even interacted in the show, and a friendship between Sophie and Penelope is something that makes no sense. Neither Penelope nor Colin will have anything to do with Sophie, and with a new baby there is no reason for them to be constantly in Kate and Anthony's house, so the opportunities for them to be able to observe, and then provide advice, should be limited. Further, with it looking like Luke Newton did not film as much in season 4 as Nicola Coughlan, it seems that Colin won't be around a lot either. I am aware that the counter is that Jonathan and Simone did not film much either, however, both Simone and Jonathan were recalled to set in season 4 filming based on interviews each has given, which lends some credence to the theory that they have filmed more than initially thought.

While I see Kate and Anthony providing some guidance, and maybe moreso Kate than Anthony, I also think that it is possible both Violet and Eloise play a large part in Sophie and Benedict's story. We know that Eloise will be the one Benedict enlists to help him find Sophie, and it is strongly speculated that Sophie will be employed as Eloise's maid in Bridgerton House, this gives ample opportunity for Violet and Eloise to be part of the story. I also see a friendship developing between Sophie and Eloise, as well as Sophie and Kate. Ultimately though, when it comes to understanding Sophie's position in society, the best one placed to do so is Kate, neither Penelope nor Eloise will have any concept of the struggles that Sophie will have gone through, Kate is the only one outside of their class that may be able to understand Sophie better. 

Image Credit:  Netflix

Kate and Anthony Have Two Children

This is a widely held belief, and is definitely a possibility. It appears that a time jump will happen in seaosn 4, (whether it is one year or two is unknown), and will most likely take place from episode 1 to episode 2, this allows the time for Kate and Anthony to return with Edmund, and possibly another child. This theory began after a fan asked Jonathan Bailey about the baby and his response was 'which one', however, it is possible he was talking about the multiples that are generally used for filming, but he could also have been talking about Kate and Anthony's children. I would love to see Kate and Anthony with a second child, and maybe a little controversially I am hoping their second child is a girl. It would be a great call back to season 2 for them to have a little girl that is named for Kate's mother, (Kate: "My mother has a name"), we will finally be able to put a name to Kate's mother. 

Image Credit: Netflix

A Wedding 

It seems to be all but confirmed that there is a wedding in season 4, but whose? I know many believe it is Benedict and Sophie's, but this would mean that they are married before their situation is resolved, because as has been pointed out by most fans over the last few years Bridgerton doesn't do happy, drama free weddings. Assuming that they follow the book and Benedict and Sophie don't get married until after the resolution to their issues and roadblocks, whose wedding could happen that would be full of drama? I propose that it could be Violet and Marcus. But if they have a wedding for Violet and Marcus, will it be another one like Anthony and Edwina? Will the wedding actually happen and we see Violet and Marcus marry? What will then happen with Violet, Hyacinth and Gregory? Will they move out of Bridgerton House or will Marcus move in? So many questions, so few answers until February 2026. 

 Image Credit: Netflix

John Dies around the Middle of the Season

Filming leaks indicate that John will probably die in season 4, and I know that many believe it will be towards the end of the season, however, what if it isn't? What if John dies around episode 5? What if we see Francesca (and Michaela) mourning during seaosn 4? What this could mean is another season switch and IF John dies earlier in the season then it could be to set up Francesca for season 5, pushing Eloise back to season 6.

 

Anthony being a Father Figure to [Spoiler]

In a recent interview Jonathan Bailey made a brief comment about Anthony being a father figure to someone, but he cut himself off because he said it was a spoiler. But who could Anthony be a father figure to that would be a spoiler? Some have thought it is Sophie, and it could be, but what if it isn't Sophie? It most likely wasn't his siblings Jonathan Bailey was referencing because that isn't a spoiler, and it won't be any of his nieces or nephews whose parents are present in their lives, he is the father for Edmund (and any second child) so there is no need to reference Anthony being a 'father figure' to them, which leaves one more character - Posy. Will the story change with Posey coming to live with the Bridgertons earlier than in the book? Will Posy be taken under Anthony, Violet, and Kate's wing? And if not Posy or Sophie, then who could Jonathan Bailey be referring to? Did he mean one of his siblings? To me that would not be much of a spoiler, so I really don't think it is a sibling. 

Bridgerton Season 4: The Release Date is Official

After the leak from Netflix Netherlands it has taken for just over a week for the official announcement from Netflix and Bridgerton of the season 4 release dates.  As leaked season 4 will release in 2 parts on 29 January 2026 and 26 February 2026, falling into the crucial Valentine's Day period, showing that this season will indeed be the Season of Love.  

The date was announced with more content, including the main poster, a promotional video and some stills of Benedict and Sophie.  I will look at each of the releases one by one to kick off the official season 4 promo period.  

Video Credit: Netflix

Promotional Video

The video released begins with Benedict walking down the stairs, and Sophie up the stairs, reflecting their positions of upstairs and downstairs, before flashes of Benedict and Sophie from the Masquerade Ball.  The video ends showing Sohie at the top of the stairs and Benedict at the bottom looking at each other, before we see the glove dropped on the ground.  The video is accompanied by a voiceover from Lady Whistledown and hints at both the upstairs/downstairs aspect of this season, and the passing of the seasons suggesting a potential time jump, but certainly hinting at season 4 taking place in Autumn rather than Spring/Summer. 

One thing that was noticed by many is the setting of the promotional video, it appears to be on the set of the Featherington stairs.  Despite those that think this means anything from Penelope and Colin hosting, or co-hosting, the Masquerade Ball to Sophie working for Penelope, to a nod to a close friendship between Sohie and Penelope, I think that it is simply due to ease and cost.

The stairs we see onscreen for Bridgerton House are in Halton House, which is the Officers Mess on the base RAF Halton, in the County of Buckinghashire. To go to the expense and logistical planning that is required for a location shoot in order to film a very short promotional video is not cost effective, it would be easier and cheaper to repaint the walls on a set they already have in the studio - hence they repainted the set for the Featherington House stairs and filmed it there.  Despite it being logically untrue that the promotion is related to anything specific in the show there are some fans that will continue to try and centre a white character in a story with a woman of colour lead, as we have seen from the preposterous theories 

Image Credit: 

The Poster

The official poster for the season featuring Benedict and Sophie was also released, I will do a more indepth breakdown shortly, but for now a brief look at it.  

As with all the promotion the poster features Sophie and Benedict in their Masquerade Ball aspects, leaning into the Cinderella vibes and romance of it all.  We see Benedict behind Sophie and looking down at her while she is looking up at him.  As with the teaser poster they are on a Balcony, and we see the petals from the wisteria falling and on the roses the petals are curling to indicate that this is a season that will not be at the height of Spring/Summer, but rather the end of summer and Autumn.  

The Stills

In addition to the video and poster three new stills were released, all three featured Benedict and Sophie. I will be doing a breakdown of all the stills over the next few months, so will save a more indepth look at these one then as well, however, I will do a brief glimpse here. As I said the three stills all feature Benedict and Sophie, and all are at the Masquerade Ball, so no new gilmpses of our two new leads. 

Image Credit: Netflix

1. Inside: The first still is inside the ballroom, and looks like it could be the very first meeting when Benedict approached Sophie at the Ball. 
   
   
   

   Image Credit: Netflix
   
   
2. Outside: The second still sees Benedict and Sophie outside in the Bridgerton Garden, they are looking in the same direction and it appears that something or someone has caught their attention. 
   
   
   

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3. Hands: The third still shows Benedict holding his hand out and Sophie about to put her hand in his. This is inside the ballroom and is most likely when he is about to lead her outside to the garden

The Article

Tudum updated their article on season 4 with the date, and a new hint at what we might see in season 4. The Tudum article reveals that Benedict enlists the help of Eloise to help him find the Lady in Silver after the ball. This makes sense as Eloise has been shown to be his closest sibling, and she proved in season 3 that she is able to keep a secret for those she cares about. This is something that I will expand on in upcoming posts, as it leads to a lot of interesting thoughts and speculation. 

Bridgerton Season 4: The Teaser Poster

Last week the official Bridgerton social media accounts released the first teaser poster for the upcoming season.  The teaser poster did not include release dates as many suspected, (though they were leaked by the end of the week thanks to Netflix Netherlands).  The poster features Sophie standing on a balcony with her back to the camera holding her mask behind her back, the colour of the sky in the background suggests it is dusk, or sunset.  So let's break this down. 

Image Credit: Netflix

Sophie:  Sophie is centred in the image, and dominates the poster without overpowering it, however it is not a full length picture of Sophie with the focus being on the dress (and Mask).  Sophie is in the silver dress she wears to the Masquerade, holding the matching mask. In the books Sophie wears an old dress of her mother's in a Georgian style, however, for the show her dress is rooted in the Regency period, the mask on the other hand appears to have taken inspiration from Masquerade masks of the late Georgian period which covered more of the face than those from the Regency period.  Does this mean that instead of her dress being from her mother the show is going with teh idea that she wears a mask that belonged to her mother? 

The mask behind Sophie's back symbolises secrecy and concealement, but the fact she is holding it and not wearing it suggests that she will eventually be 'unmasked' as the Lady in Silver, and her true identity will be known and no longer concealed.  

The surroundings: 

Sophie is standing on a balcony, this looks to be a nod to the books where Sophie and Benedict's tryst on the night of the Masquerade took place.  But we also see the Wisteria associated with Bridgerton, however, some petals are falling from the flower which reflects the idea of this season being set in Autumn rather than Spring/Summer.  We also see white roses, and a closer look at the roses shows they are in the last stages of their blooms, and the leaves look to be starting to turn yellow/brown, reinforcing that this season will be set in Autumn. 

Wisteria symbolises love, romance and longevity, but it also has specific meanings in Asian culture. In China it is believed to bring good luck and happiness, and in Korea it represents devotion. The White Rose symbolises innocence and purity, and additionally in Korean culture it represents respect, but also new beginnings. However, these flowers are wilting and this does change their meanings slightly, but they do not bring meaning of death or endings as one might expect, but rather hope. The wilting, or dying, Wisteria, which has the meaning of devotion in Korea when in bloom, carries this symbolism through as it wilts where it means a devotion that transcends death, but more generally a wilting Wisteria can also be seen as a testament to the ability of the heart to endure, thus giving hope, something that resonates with Sophie's story. The wilting white rose however, can shift the meaning to the realities of loss and endings. The meanings behind these flowers being in the poster resonate, not only with Sophie's story, but with the story of Benedict and Sophie. 

It is interesting to note that the only other poster to include the Wisteria flower so prominently was for Daphne and Simon's season where the flower was in full bloom representing love and romance, whilst for this poster it is dying, which shifts its meaning to resonate with the story to be told in season 4. 

Final Thoughts: 

I like this poster, the colours of the sunset in the background and the softer colours of the flowers are beautiful and give an almost ethereal feel to the poster. The centring of Sophie, but with the focus on her gown and not her, really pulls the person viewing this into the fairytale feel of the story. 

Bridgerton Season 4: Release Date Leak and Easter Eggs?

On Friday local time the Netflix Netherlands Instagram Account posted a picture of what seems to be the official season 4 Poster along with the release dates. According to screenshots that are being shared widely on Social Media it seems that season 4 will release in two parts on 29 January and 26 February 2026. This is a couple of weeks earlier than I expected, but if they wish to tie it in to Valentine's Day then this makes sense as most marketing for Valentine's Day will be well under why by the release. 

While seeing the poster was exciting, I was more intrigued by the additional writing from Netflix Netherlands, and the additional images. It appears there were a total of 6 images, but I don't think those additional images were more posters. 

Whilst I don't speak or read Dutch (except a word here and there), others who do have indicated that the writing on the first of the slides indicated there were 5 Easter Eggs in the poster - but what could they be? Most are likely to be obvious Bridgerton references, but the one I have seen going around that has intrigued me most of all appears to be from the last slide. The picture in question has the release dates circled (see below) and the writing in Dutch appears to say "Who is Jan? Is he going to try to steal Sophie from Benedict? Who is Feb?". I have seen some theorise that this is just a silly joke making a play on the month of January (shortened to Jan), as Jan is a Dutch name, but what if the first part is not a silly joke? What if it is a hint to what may happen in the season. 

Stand by I have a wild theory coming in. There have been hints to suggest that Footman John may have a larger part to play in the upcoming season, this makes sense as the season will be focussed a bit more on the servants, but what if his larger part is connected directly to the main storyline of Sophie and Benedict? It could be theorised that the last Easter Egg (connected to the dates) is a riddle that is about more than the dates. But what is the connection? It is in the name Jan, which is a version of the name John. 

Image Credit: Netflix

So, the riddle starts with 'who is Jan?' That could be Footman John. Then they ask if he is going to try to steal Sophie from Benedict, which could conceivably be part of the storyline. But if he is going to try to steal Sophie, is it from a position of desiring her for himself, or is it more of a protective situation where he is not so much pursuing Sophie, but trying to talk her out of starting anything with Benedict? The riddle ends with 'who is Feb?'. Feb itself is not a name, the month of February is named for a Roman purification ceremony which really has no connection to Bridgerton, but if we now switch to thinking about the months, February follows January, that is Feb follows Jan, so who follows Footman John? 

Image Credit: Netflix

I know this is a wild theory, and to be honest I didn't think beyond the Jan/John connection or the idea that John could try to steal Sophie, so I really have no idea how Feb may tie in. Of course this theory could just be a lot of hot air and nothing else, and it really is as simple as the release dates. 

Bridgerton Season 4: Will there be a Bridgerton Baby Boom?

In up to season 4 there is ongoing talk about the babies we may see, but these discussions often forget about the babies that we won't see (or haven't seen), and of course with the order and timeline changes in the show from the books the babies we may (or may not) see will be different.    

Image Credit: Netflix

Daphne and Simon: 

In the books Daphne and Simon had a girl first, Amelia, born in 1814, with Belinda, Caroline and David following each year after, finally Edward arrives 20 years after Amelia. 

In the show Daphne has a boy first, but they keep the alphabetical naming of the children, with August (Auggie) replacing Amelia as Daphne and Simon's firstborn.  We saw the birth of Auggie in season 1, and he made a couple of appearances in season 2, but as Daphne was not in season 3 we have not seen, nor heard about, her children in the main show.  However, in Queen Charlotte we saw Violet with 2 small children that were Auggie, and his little sister, showing that Daphne's second child was born in 1814. Following the books Daphne would have had a baby in 1815 (season 3), and should have her fourth by season 4. I doubt that the audience will hear anything about her other babies however. 

Image Credit: Netflix

Anthony and Kate: 

In the books Anthony and Kate have a boy, Edmund, in 1815, with Miles following a couple of years later.  Charlotte arrives 5 years after Miles, and Mary 8 years after Charlotte.  

In the show we have yet to see Anthony and Kate's first baby, however, season 3 ended with Kate heavily pregnant and Anthony inexplicably taking her on a six month periolous voyage to India. Will we meet Anthony and Kate's first baby in season 4, and will he be Edmund?  

I believe that there is a possibility we will see Edmund in season 4, there have been enough hints suggesting that Jonathan Bailey, and Simone Ashley, filmed with a child, and possibly children, (though whether Jonathan Bailey's slip about 'babies' was related to Anthony and Kate's or just babies on the show in general is unknown).  In addition to baby Edmund I would love to see Kate and Anthony with a second child, however, this is where I would be happy for them to deviate from the books and give them a girl second.  This would also allow some fleshing out of Kate's character (if Jess Brownell was so inclined) by using a pregnancy/birth or a baby girl to delve into more about her mother, and giving her mother's name to her baby - and I don't mean Mary. After all Kate said in season 2 that her mother had a name, we just don't know it yet.  

The question here is not whether we will see a baby or two for Anthony and Kate, but rather if Jess Brownell cares enough about good storytelling to do more than a surface level minute or two appearance of Kate and a baby in the hopes of appeasing fans. I would suggest not, but she might surprise us yet.  

Image Credit: Netflix

Colin and Penelope: 

Colin and Penelope's arc has had one of the most dramatic changes so far in the series with the shift in order and bringing their story forward by ten years, but that isn't the only big change with Colin and Penelope's story. In the books Colin and Penelope's first child is a girl, Agatha born in 1825 and named for Lady Danbury, then they have Thomas born in 1826, Jane born in 1828 and George born in 1831.  In the show this is changed, not only do they have a boy first, he also becomes the new Lord Featherington via a storyline centred on fraud (note that Penelope's father in the book was not a member of the peerage, he was a Mr).  The currently unnamed child was shown at the end of season 3, and from early stills we see that he makes at least one appearance in season 4.  The question now is whether Penelope will become pregnant in season 4, and will we see a second baby for Colin and Penelope? If there is a second baby will that baby be a girl?  What would they name her considering the relationship between Penelope and Lady Danbury in the show is not the same as in the book? My thoughts are that they should call their first girl Charlotte to honour the Queen (yes, I know it is Kate and Anthony's daughter's name, but I want to see their first daughter be named after Kate's biological mother).  

Image Credit: Netflix

Benedict and Sophie: 

I know we haven't seen Benedict and Sophie's season yet, and we don't know if we will see a baby for them in the season, but let's play 'what if' with this idea. Benedict's book comes third, before Colin and Penelope's, however the show has put Benedict fourth. In the book Benedict and Sophie have a boy first, Charles born in 1818 followed by Alexander (1820), William (1822) and Violet (1824).  The show has changed both Daphne and Colin's firstborn to a boy, so there is no reason why they can't change Benedict's firstborn to a girl.  I would like to see Benedict and Sophie have a girl first, and if season 4 follows season 1 and season 3 by showing the main couple with a baby in their season, I would love baby Violet making an appearance in the epilogue of season 4.  

Francesca: 

This one is interesting, like Colin Francesca's story has one of the biggest changes with her endgame being genderbent.  The questions raised is how they will address her wanting a child as in the boook where she had a miscarriage during her marriage to John but went on to have two children with Michael. If they are going to have Francesca give birth to the next Earl of Kilmartin then I believe that she will have a child while with John before he dies, which indicates that we will most likely see Francesca and John's child in season 4 based on leaks that suggest John dies in the season.  Of course they could leave it as Francesca being pregnant and not show the baby like they did with Kate.  

So how many babies will we see in season 4?  One is confirmed based on the stills released, rumours abound that we will see at least one baby, if not two babies, for Anthony and Kate, and if the show does give us Benedict and Sophie's first baby, and a baby for Francesca, there could be as many as five Bridgerton babies shown in one form or another in season 4.  

Netflix Erasure of Kate Bridgerton with "Just Anthony" highlighted

Netflix have not responded to any requests for comment on this.  

Update:  Netflix Tudum have updated their article, however, instead of updating the article with the inclusion of Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley) in the first paragraph they have merely removed the writer's name and given the byline to 'Tudum Staff'.  While I understand that this was potentially done to protect the writer from harassment, (I understand some fans have posted her linkedIn details and have said they contacted her through that), I believe that this has made Netflix look worse. I am not saying the writer deserves harassment becasue she does not, however, by removing her name and replacing it with a generic 'Tudum Staff' Netflix have made it appear that Netflix are protecting a white (or lighter skinned) woman whilst still diminishing and erasing a darker skinned woman of colour. 

I am not saying Netflix were wrong in trying to protect a freelance writer that does work for them, but if they listened enough to understand fans were angry with the writer why not fix their glaring omission in the first paragraph?  As it stands Netflix have still tried to erase, and diminish, a woman of colour on an article where White women are given equal standing to their screen partners.  Netflix need to do better. 

On 29 August this article was published on the Netflix Tudum site celebrating Jonathan Bailey's best moments as Anthony Bridgerton, including three moments from season 2 that included his onscreen love interest played by Simone Ashley.  The fact that these three moments were included, yet in the introductory paragraph Simone Ashley, and her character Kate Bridgerton (formerly Sharma) was not mentioned. Of itself it is not egregious considering that the article was about Jonathan Bailey, but the author included mention of Simon and Daphne, and Penelope and Colin, so that when it came to season 2 the author referred to "just Anthony Bridgerton" the exclusion of Kate (and Simone Ashley) was obvious, and seemed very deliberate.  The author clearly framed the season 1 and season 3 leads as equal in their stories, but for the season 2 protagonists the author dismissed Kate's importance to Anthony's story and love story.  That she eventually included Kate in a later paragraph does not redeem the author, but rather reinforces that the author - and by extension Netflix - does not value Kate's (and Simone's) contribution to the story of season 2, with Kate being mentioned almost as an afterthought.  

Screenshot of Netflix Tudum Article

If this was a one off situation then it probably would not have garnered quite the same notice in the fandom, but the exclusion of Kate as a character, and Simone Ashley as an actress, is an ongoing issue with both Netflix and Shondaland, leading many to believe that both Netflix and Shondaland have (at best) a problem with Kate (or Simone), or (at worst) have an active dislike of - or contempt for - Kate as a character (or Simone as an actress). Neither perception is good for Netflix or Shondaland. To continually exclude Kate from articles on Bridgerton, especially when directly connected to Anthony, and to continually exclude Simone Ashley from promotional materials, makes their claims of diversity and representation ring hollow, she is after all the Viscountess Bridgerton and was the season 2 lead. The continual exclusion of Simone Ashley (and Kate) from promotional content reinforces the perception that neither Netflix nor Shondaland prioritise representation of women of colour, or specifically the representation of South Asian women of colour. But worse, the continual exclusion of her by Netflix and Shondaland leads to other media outlets excluding her - or at least diminishing her importance in the show when compared to white counterparts. 

Image Credit: Netflix

One example is this article by gossip site Just Jared, where they are discussing the returning and new cast for Bridgerton season 4. In this we see that of the main cast members returning Kate is the only one that does not have a character description from Netflix, suggesting that Netflix does not care enough about Kate to include a character description for her. It should also be noted that there is no surname for the character of Kate provided, whilst the other returning leads (who are all white), have surnames listed for their characters. What does this say about how Netflix views the first women of colour lead in Bridgerton? Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern and three times is a choice, and to exclude, or diminish, the only dark skinned South Asian lead in Bridgerton is a choice that Netflix make over and over again. In doing this Netflix, and Shondaland, continually alienate and anger fans, most women of colour and many of South Asian heritage, they are telling these fans that they are not important, and that for them the South Asian representation is not important, further it tells everyone that Netflix prioritises white characters, and white stories over that of South Asians, meanwhile they will still use their South Asian Viscountess in promotion to entice those fans. Netflix's actions suggest that for them representation is superficial and meaningless. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The appeal of Bridgerton is the love stories, but you cannot have a love story with only one partner, so to omit one of the two partners in a love story diminishes the growth of both partners in the story. In the opening paragraph of the Tudum article, the author not only erased Kate as being important to the season 2 love story, but diminshed Anthony's arc by lessening the contribution of his screen partner, something she did not do for other lead couples. The fact that Kate is played by a dark skinned South Asian woman indicates a wider issue where women of colour - particularly dark skinned women of colour - are treated as incidental in the storytelling rather than essential to it, something that we see over and over when it comes to Kate Bridgerton. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The author's wording may have been intended as a clever way to show that Jonathan Bailey's performance as Anthony was the focus of the article, it did not come across that way to many reading the article. By referencing the season 1 and season 2 couple as a pair, each equal in their stories, the "just Anthony" line worked more to suggest that Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate was unimportant in Anthony's story. We cannot talk about Jonathan Bailey's portrayal of Anthony without discussing Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate, but this is what Netflix did, and has done, while using Kate (and Simone Ashley) to promote to the demographic that she represents, which diminshes the claims of diversity and representation in Bridgerton by Netflix and Shondaland. 

Note: I requested comment on this article from both the author of the article and Netflix, neither have responded. 

Bridgerton Costumes: Colours of Spice vs Old Hollywood Glamour

One of the more divisive aspects of Bridgerton season 3 was the costumes and overall look of the season, which came in for criticism in a number of fan spaces from Reddit, to X, to TikTok and beyond. Whilst the costumes moved further from the aesthetic of season 1 and season 2 into a more fantastical realm of heightened drama, for some it is the costuming of the Viscountess Bridgerton that stood out in terms of how vastly different it was from season 2. In season 2, the then, Kathani 'Kate' Sharma was dressed in a lot of deep colours and jewel tones evoking her Indian heritage, but in season 3 her costumes were more muted in colour, and there was less silk used for her clothing. But it is not her costumes on their own that causes concern when we look at Kate's costumes in season 3, but the way that the season 3 costume designer, John Glaser, spoke on the inspiration for Kate's costumes when compared with the inspiration for Penelope, Eloise and Francesca. 

For Penelope the costume design team looked to old Hollywood icons such as Lauren Bacall as inspiration for her look in season 3, in this article in People magazine in June 2024, John Glaser is quoted as saying: “When you look at photographs from Old Hollywood, the people just look great. Their hair looks great, they look great, but you don't really remember what they're wearing because it's all about their face and who they are,”. In this same article John Glaser talks about the Audrey Hepburn inspiration for Eloise's costuming throughout seson 3, with much inspiration drawn from the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Penelope and Eloise's looks are not the only ones inspired by old Hollywood icons however, Francesca's look was also inspired by the Golden age of film, specifically by legends Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn. It is at this point we should note that all three of these characters are white, why is that important might you ask? Well it is to do with how John Glaser discusses the inspiration for Kate's looks in comparison to the inspiration for Penelope, Eloise and Francesca. 

Image Credit: Netflix

Whilst Kate was not discussed in the People article referenced above, in this interview with Vogue John Glaser does discuss the inspiration for Kate's costumes in season 3. As we have seen the costumes were heavily influenced by old Hollywood, which makes it rather jarring when we see that for Kate John Glaser says: "There were subtle Indian references in Season 2, but we were much more blatant about it this time." From some of the reactions I have seen online from Desi fans this comment about Kate's costumes was met with surprise - and disbelief, however, this is not the most egregious part of his response to the question about Kate's costumes in season 3, he went on to say: "...we went for earth tones, more natural colors, the colors of spice.". This may not seem to be overly harmful on the surface, but this language used by John Glaser when talking about Kate feeds into negative tropes, and the idea of 'exoticisation' of non-white, specifically Indian, women. To give the benefit of the doubt it is possible that John Glaser thought he was honouring and celebrating Kate's Indian heritage, however, the language used is the language of othering. While the looks for the white characters were described through well known Hollywood icons, Kate's look was described using exoticised imagery of flavours and colours.

Image Credit: Netflix

What is interesting is if we compare the language used by John Glaser in relation to Kate's costumes to that used by Sophie Canale, the costume designer in season 2. When discussing the costumes for the Sharma's in general (and Kate specifically) Sophie Canale emphasised the way she rooted their costumes in their Indian heritage through the colour, the fabrics, and the embroidery designs. Sophie discussed how she wanted to pay tribute to the Sharmas Indian heritage which she did through the fabrics and the use of Indian embroidery and jewellery, evoking and paying tribute whilst keeping the Regency silhouettes and not making the costumes a caricature of Indian attire. Colour was the other way that Sophie Canale honoured the Indian heritage of the Sharmas by using bright, bold colours that are often associated with Indian dress. 

The difference between season 2 and season 3 for Kate's costuming is more than just the aesthetics of the costumes, it is around the discourse and how the two different costume designers discussed the inspiration for the costumes. In season 2 Sophie Canale talked in terms of cullture and heritage, as well as talking about the narrative function of Kate's costumes, all done without leaning into tropes or exoticised imagery. John Glaser on the other hand discussed Kate's looks in a way that othered her, set her apart reinforcing that Kate is different to the white characters. This discussion, and the language used by John Glaser highlights an unconscious (or maybe conscious) bias, and it highlights how he saw Kate as being apart from the other Bridgerton women, not really part of the Bridgerton family, despite her being The Viscountess Bridgerton. 

John Glaser's comments about Penelope, Eloise and Francesca versus his comments about Kate demonstrate how it is not only the aesthetic that matters when it comes to representation, but also the discussion. 

Sources: 

https://people.com/bridgerton-season-3-costumes-inspired-by-real-people-exclusive-8659368

https://www.vogue.com/article/bridgerton-costume-designer-talks-season-3

https://people.com/style/bridgerton-costume-designer-sophie-canale-interview-exclusive 

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a39467332/bridgerton-season-two-costumes

Bridgerton Season 4: Release Date Speculation

Bridgerton season 4 is set down to release in early 2026, and as we come closer and closer to 2026 many in the fandom are turning their thoughts to when in 2026 season 4 may release, and - just as importantly – when might Netflix announce the release date.  There are some potential clues as to when the release date may be for season 4, clues that suggest the release date will be announced in the not too distance future – maybe even this week!

So what are the clues that hint at when the possible release date will be?  Below I will look at each of the signs, and then end with my prediction of both a release date and potential announcement date.  

Season of Love: Season 4 has been teased with the tagline ‘Season of Love’, hinting that the promotion will lean into the idea of a season of love. That is not to say that other seasons have not been seasons of love, but I this hints as to the idea of a season of love being the central theme of the promotion for the season, in the same way that spring was the central theme for season 3, including a play on the ship name Polin with a tie in to an allergy medication for 'Pollen' season. 

Valentine’s Day Fan Event: This year Netflix held an online Valentine’s Day fan event for season 4, this was streamed live from London. These fan events have been held for previous seasons, the first one being in 2022 for season 2 just over a month before its release in March. In 2023 a Valentine’s Day fan event was held for Queen Charlotte which released in May of that year, and another event was held in 2024 ahead of season 3’s release. It should be noted that the Valentine’s Day event for season 4 included the release of a number of stills as well as a behind the scenes video.

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Netflix Upfronts: This is slightly different to previous seasons as this is the first year that content for Bridgerton has been released for the upfronts, meanwhile nothing was released for Tudum – in fact Bridgerton was not even represented at Tudum this year, the first time since the 2021 Tudum.  For the upfronts Netflix released a sneak peek and some more stills whilst confirming that Bridgerton had been renewed for season 5 and season 6. 

TV Tie in Book: The book with the cover to tie in to the series is currently slated for release in January. For previous seasons the book has been released within weeks of the series being released (note that it was delayed for both season 2 and season 3). If the release date remains as it is currently then that could be an indicator of the release date.  

These factors all suggest that the release of season 4 will be timed to capitalise on Valentine’s Day in February, however, there is a possibility that the window for the release of part could be mid-January – mid-February, but what are the most likely dates for a release?  Below are what I believe are the most likely dates for part 1 to be released. 

• 15 January 2026: Assuming Netflix releases on a Thursday as this is the closest Thursday to the currently listed release date for the book.  But is it too close to the release of the final of Stranger Things?  
  
  
• 12 February 2026: Again, making the assumption that Netflix will be releasing on a Thursday, then this date is possible as the Thursday before Valentine’s Day 

Thursday is the most common day recently for Netflix Originals to be released on, but we have seen a shift in this to other days, for example Wednesday season 2 released on a Wednesday, so what if Bridgerton season 4 was to release on a day other than a Thursday, what could be the most likely release dates? 

• 14 January or 11 February 2026: Either of these dates could be a possibility if Netflix chooses to release season 4 on a Wednesday as they are the the days before the possible Thursday release dates above. 
  
  
• 14 February 2026:  This is a long shot for the release date, however, it would fit in well for the ‘Season of Love’ theme, and create a great marketing opportunity.

In my opinion the most likely release date is 12 February 2026 (or 11 February 2026 if they choose to have it released on a Wednesday). This is the date I have believed to be the most likley release date since the Valentine's Day event earlier this year, and have previously mentioned it on my Tumblr Blog. If this is the release date when might it be announced? 

The release date for season 1 was announced approximately 10 weeks before the season released, this is the shortest period between announcing the release date and the season releasing. For season 2 the first anniversary of season 1 was chosen to announce the release date, which was 3 months later. The release date for season 3 was announced in December 2023, 5 months prior to the season releasing, though it is unknown if this was the planned announcement or not as it was inadvertantly posted - then hastily removed - on social media pages, but it is likely that it will be a similar time frame for season 4, thus having the season release date announced about 5 months prior to the release, or even as far out as 6 months. I have two theories as to when they could announce the release date for season 4. 

• 11 September (or a day either side of it): This date will mark the one year anniversary of the announcement of Yerin Ha as Sophie, and it will be 5 months before 12 (or 11) February 2026, and is also a week after part 2 of Wednesday is released, so the biggest release of the year won't distract from the news. 
  
  
• This week. I know, it seems unlikely, but we have seen an increase in Bridgerton posts on Shondaland's Instagram, including 3 in a row this week, so it is possible that they are dropping hints that something is coming, and will extend the timeframe from announcement to release to six months, and announce this week. 

It will be interesting to see if the announcement will come within hours of me posting this, or if it is still weeks - or months - away. Will it be a Valentine's Day release? Or will it be earlier (or later)? 

Bridgerton Fandom: The FYSEE Changing Narrative

This post was prompted by a tweet that came to my attention that claimed season 3 had no Emmy award promotion, but season 2 did, but how did this misinformation come about? The account holder used the fact that there was an FYSEE panel in 2022 and not one in 2025 as the ‘proof’ that season 3 was not promoted for consideration for an Emmy (despite season 3 being included in the 2025 FYSEE event by Netflix). The idea that the FYSEE panel in 2022 was Emmy promotion for season 2 was discounted by the season 3 lead, whether intentionally or unintentionally, when she described it as a 'handover the baton' event at the end of season 2 promotion in a comment on TikTok. This description of the event gained traction within a subset of the fandom and became the narrative they spread at the end of 2024, a narrative they now appear to discount as they make the claims that the event was in fact promotion for season 2 whilst saying that season 3 did not have the same promotion for the Emmy Awards season. 

Image Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Before examining the changing narrative within the fandom, I will revisit the event in question. Held in May 2022 the Netflix FYSEE event - For Your Consideration - for Emmy voters included a panel discussion for Bridgerton. On the panel were Simone Ashley, the season 2 female lead, Charithra Chandran and Nicola Coughlan, as well as Chris van Dusen, the creator of Bridgerton and season 2 showrunner, Kris Bowers, the composer, and Sophie Canale, the costume designer for season 2. Whilst there were discussions around season 2 with Kris Bowers, Sophie Canale and Chris van Dusen on the production of the season, and discussions with the actresses present, though the focus did not appear to be on the season 2 lead. Many of the questions directed to Simone Ashley were not focused on her as the lead, but her and Charithra Chandran as 'South Asian' representation, which contrasted with the way the host directed questions to Nicola to respond to solo, and how she defaulted to Nicola a number of times during the question and answer panel. The way the panel was conducted sent the message that Netflix's focus was not on promoting season 2 itself, but using it as a way to put the focus on Nicola Coughlan (something that in itself is problematic, but won't be addressed in this post), who used the event to announce herself as the season 3 lead. This announcement at an event that Netflix erroneously presented as being for season 2 led to many of the published articles in the week following being about season 3, not season 2 which Netflix were meant to be promoting for Emmy nomination. In contrast the FYC event for season 3, whilst not including a panel discussion, was focused fully on season 3 for Emmy consideration with many published articles in the months around the FYSEE event focused fully on season 3, and its lead. This disparity has led many to believe that instead of trying to promote season 2 for Emmy nominations Netflix were more interested in promoting season 3, and setting up a 3 year promotion cycle for Emmy consideration. It is the way that Netflix allowed the season 3 lead to take over season 2 promotion that has upset and angered many fans, despite, others in the fandom downplaying the impact of Nicola announcing season 3, and claiming it was about transitioning from season 2 to season 3, something that was reinforced in the latter part of 2024. 

In 2024 a TikTok content creator made a video discussing the season 3 announcement at the FYSEE event in 2022, providing an opinion that it was disrespectful to the season 2 leads generally, and Simone Ashley specifically as she was present at the event. Nicola Coughlan commented on the video with: "Hello! So the event which we announced season 3 was the final one for season 2 and it was a handover the baton moment as it was so lovely that Simone and I could be together for it".  The comment from Nicola confirms that Netflix did not consider the FYSEE event in 2022 as the beginning of Emmy promotion for season 2 (as they did for season 3 in 2025), but rather as the beginning of promotion for season 3, and confirming the view of many fans that Netflix were not interested in promoting season 2 at the event. This comment was picked up by others within the fandom, and became the narrative that they then promulgated, using the comment as an excuse to instigate a bullying campaign against the content creators that spread across platforms from TikTok, to X, to Reddit where the link to the TikTok was widely shared in an effort to instigate more bullying and harassment. This subsection of the fandom also used Nicola's words to shut down discussions from those that would criticise the actions of Netflix, and the failure of Netflix to properly promote season 2. However, this narrative that the FYSEE event in 2022 was a handover of the baton from season 2 to season 3 did not last long, when Netflix failed to hold a panel discussion at the 2025 FYSEE event for season 3. 

During the voting period for the Emmy awards this year a new narrative has emerged among this same subsection of the fandom that claims season 3 received no Emmy Awards promotion while season 2 had an FYSEE event - the same event that only months prior they were saying was a handover of the baton from season 2 to season 3 as per Nicola's comment. This new narrative from a section of the fandom is not confined to one platform, with users on both X and Reddit spreading it, many users being the same ones that were just months earlier saying that it was a handover the baton event. 

Subsections in the fandom changing their narrative to fit the argument du jour is not new, the idea that season 3 had no promotion for the awards season while season 2 had a lot of promotion but wasn't good enough for nominations is just the latest narrative of the day. But what is the narrative they believe? Is it the narrative the fans were pushing towards the end of 2024, or is it the narrative they have been promulgating recently? Most likely it is somewhere in the middle with a healthy dose of alternating narratives depending on what agenda they are wanting to promote, or who they are arguing with in the fandom, or what the majority view is on the day. 

 

IF the 2022 event was, (as is being claimed now), a season 2 Emmy promotion event why were all the articles directly after this about season 3 and Nicola? Why were the season 3 leads announced at this event? Why was the focus not kept on season 2 and the season 2 lead who was present? But IF this event was, (as Nicola said), an event to 'handover the baton' then why are a subset of the fandom trying to claim it was about season 2 promotion? Is it because their expectations on the Emmy nominations was higher for S3 so they now need an excuse to explain why the nominations they were wanting - and expecting - didn't happen? Or are they trying to dilute the terrible optics for Shondaland and Netflix, and for Nicola after she inserted herself in the discussion, around there being very little Emmy promotion for S2? 

Bridgerton Season 5: Eloise or Francesca?

At the Netflix upfronts in Mid May it was announced that Bridgerton had been renewed for seasons 5 & 6. We know that these seasons will be Eloise and Francesca, but the order of these two stories is unknown, however, within the fandom there is already discussion as to who might lead which season.  The popular view appears to be that the show will follow the book order with Eloise being season 5 and Francesca leading season 6. We have seen that the production team are not as concerned with the book order with the swapping the order of book 3 and book 4, Shonda Rhimes also suggested that the books may not necessarily be done in order, which tells us we cannot take as a given that seasons 5 and 6 will be done in book order, something that some fans have picked up on as a small number believe Francesca will be the lead for season 5.

So, who will be the lead for season 5? Below I look at the most compelling reasons for each of the possible season 5 leads.

Image Credit:  Liam Daniel/Netflix

The Case for Eloise

The most compelling reason for Eloise to be the season 5 lead is the book order, and many also point to the fact that Eloise's love interest was introduced in season 1, however, the introduction of Sir Philip in season 1 will not have registered as important for casual viewers or the general audience with the introduction being of significance to book readers.  Keeping with the connection between Eloise and Sir Philip it was noted that some season 4 filming took place in the grounds of West Wycombe Park, which is attached to the West Wycombe estate, the house of which served as Romney Hall, the home of Sir Philip Crane, in season 2.  This filming has led some to believe that this is an indicator that Sir Philip Crane will be in season 4 despite the actor, Chris Fulton, having told a fan at an Outlander Convention that he wasn't in season 4 of Bridgerton.  I would also point out that in addition to Romney Hall West Wycombe Park has been used for outdoor scenes for the Ton, and for scenes at Aubrey Hall, so filming at the location is not an indication it could be for Sir Philip Crane's Estate. 

Another point that many bring up in support of Eloise for season 5 is the so-called 'Pall Mall' theory that arose from season 2 where it was assumed that the season order was determined by the order that the players each got the ball through the wickets in the game of Pall Mall, and whilst that was most likely true, it falls apart with the fact that Kate is the only player to be seen getting her ball through the fourth wicket and season 4 is certainly not Kate's season. It is also possible that the change of showrunner has potentially altered any plans that the production may have originally had for future seasons, thus making any future seasons unknown until announced.  

Finally, another compelling reason for Eloise is that the writers appear to be unable to write good storylines for characters prior to their season, this was very obvious in season 3 when they didn't appear to know what to do with Benedict after season 2 appeared to be setting him up for his season.  There is a risk that this could be the fate of Eloise if we are to wait another two seasons for her story to be told.  

Image Credit: Netflix

The Case for Francesca

During season 4 filming some leaks came out that indicated there would be a death of someone that is close to the Bridgerton Family (Bridgerton House was draped for mourning), which points to the likelihood that John will die in season 4, which opens up the possibility of another season swap and Francesca being season 5 rather than Eloise.  I have seen some argue that the death could be Marina, however, if this is the case then why is Bridgerton House draped for mourning?  The only three characters the Bridgertons would likely be openly mourning in this way are John (or another close family member), or the King or Queen (out of respect for the Monarch or the Consort).  It is hard to pick exactly at what point in the season John may die, but it appears that this occurs approximately half way through the season, which will give the time for some mourning from Francesca ahead of a short time jump and her season occurring - if that is what they are looking to do.

Two smaller, seemingly unrelated, things could also point towards the possibility of a switch between seasons 5 and 6, putting Francesca's story ahead of Eloise's. The first is a series of articles over the last month, using an interview with Julia Quinn. The articles talk about the introduction of Michaela Stirling, and the fan reaction to that, as well as the fan reaction to the swapping of season 3 and season 4, Julia also talks about how she is supportive of the change from Michael to Michaela. This could be a PR campaign to socialise the idea of Michaela ahead of the announcement of the season 5 lead, trying to soften the news - and this is how some have seen this approach. On its own this doesn't seem overly significant, but the season 4 wrap video may have given us another clue. In the wrap video we see the cast - led off by Yerin Ha - enter their trailers in costume and leave in street clothes waving at the camera as they leave, the final cast member is Luke Thompson. What is significant about this is that the penultimate cast members we see are Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza, Francesca and Michaela respectively. For a production that is known for leaving hints and crumbs for the viewers and fans, this could be the final clue as to who will be the next couple, especially as we didn't see Claudia Jessie (Eloise) in the video. 

With the information we have about season 4, from a storytelling perspective it could go either way for season 5, there is compelling reasons for the season to be either Eloise's or Francesca's, what we do know for certain is that nothing is certain with this production. Shonda Rhimes and Jess Brownell have both shown us that they are not bothered by fans opinions, and they are not afraid to swap seasons for their own reasons, which leaves nothing to be guaranteed.