We've been waiting a long time, but finally we're returning to the privileged world of Bridgerton. This time we're following the story of second son Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) in this fairytale-inspired season. Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) is desperate for him to settle down, but Benedict is enjoying his freedom - as we saw in series three! But a masquerade ball changes everything. Isn’t that always the case?
What is Bridgerton S4 about?
At a masquerade ball, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) falls under the spell of a mysterious Lady in Silver and decides he has found his match and decides that the chemistry is worth a quest to track her down. What he doesn’t realise is she's not one of the society ladies he has always been destined to marry, but a resourceful maid called Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), working for the formidable Araminta Gun (Katie Leung).
When Benedict meets Sophie in real-life he’s bewitched, but still hung up on the Lady in Silver because (classic useless man) he’s unable to see that they are the same person. Will he realise before dropping Sophie to continue his search for the Lady in Silver? And how will the class-driven society he lives in deal with such an unequal coupling? Will Her Majesty Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) give her blessing to such a love match against all odds?
Meanwhile his sister-in-law Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) faces new challenges as a now very public gossip columnist and Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is hoping she can become a spinster after three seasons with no husband to show for it. Unfortunately for her, her mother does not think it is time to give up though and the pair reach a comprise where Eloise helps little sister Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) with her finishing lessons as she prepares to debut – bringing the show’s most marriage adverse and die-hard romantic together. And for the first time, we head downstairs in Bridgerton House to meet the hardworking staff who keep the massive estate running.
Who stars in Bridgerton S4?
Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton
Benedict Bridgerton is a romantic, but has been happy spreading his love far and wide with no desire to settle down. As he sees his siblings happily married and then meets the bewitching Lady in Silver, Benedict is forced to question whether he does actually want more.
And meeting Sophie pushes him outside his comfort zone, ‘She forces him to grow up. She’s a lot of things that Benedict is not: very realistic pragmatic and she knows what she’s doing,’ says Luke Thompson. ‘It feels like at every given moment she’s got the next move planned out which is very unlike Benedict. It’s that old adage about opposites attracting.’
After a run of stage work - which led to multiple award nominations - in Shakespeare’s finest at The Globe, from 2014 to 2016 Luke Thompson played Simon on In The Club.
Luke has continued to stay busy with stage work including the adaptation of A Little Live alongside James Norton in 2023, but you may also have spotted him as Hiram ‘Harry’ Bingham in Transatlantic (2023).
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek
She has spent most of her life as a maid for the demanding Lady Araminta Gun, but resourceful Sophie Baek always finds a way to persevere and is determined to attend Violet Bridgerton’s masquerade ball where her life looks set to change forever.
‘What drew me to Sophie as a character was her strong moral compass – she doesn’t change who she is for anybody else,’ says Yerin Ha. ‘She is faced with a lot of obstacles, but she moves through them with such grace and kindness. That really speaks a lot about who she is as a person.’
And Yerin admits being introduced as part of a ball was a dream come true. ‘The set was incredible,’ she shares. ‘The set design, the costume, the make-up, the wigs, the synergy of it all was incredible.’
After training in Korea, Yerin Ha made her television debut with the American-French series Reef Break (2019). She was then cast as Kwan Ha in Steven Spielberg’s Halo (2022-2024) and played Mia Chang in The Survivors (2024).
Katie Leung as Lady Araminta Gun
Lady Araminta Gun is blunt, vocal and will not let anything threaten her standing in society as she feels the pressure to get at least one of her two daughters who are debuting this season married off. Herself twice married and twice widowed, Araminta is a force to be reckoned with.
‘She’s a very flawed character, but aren’t we all?’ says Katie Leung. ‘Her main priority in the season is to marry off her two daughters, whom she loves very dearly. People would perhaps see her as a villain, and that’s always fun to play. I’ve never really had the opportunity before.’
A household name since playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter film franchise, on TV Katie Leung played undocumented immigrant Ying in Run (2013), Mei the adoptee in One Child (2014), and DC Blair Ferguson in Annika(2021-2023).
Michelle Mao as Rosamund Li
Rosamund Li is her mother Araminta’s most prized possession and she knows it. Beautiful and eager to please her mother and secure her future, she has Benedict Bridgerton in her sights and will stop at nothing to walk up the aisle to him. ‘She is the prized racehorse in the race to win the only eligible Bridgerton brother’s hand in marriage,’ explains Michelle.
Early in her career Michelle Mao landed the lead of Morgan Gaines in Morgan’s Secret Admirer (2020-2021) and Amy in another teen targeted show Surfside Girls (2022), before moving into movies including last year's A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025) with Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell.
Isabella Wei as Posy Li
Kinder and warmer than her big sister Rosamund, Posy Li is also debuting this season but her mother is less interested in her chatty youngest child. She has a habit of putting her foot in it as she tries to be a friend to everyone.
‘Posy is very sweet, contrary to her mother and sister. She’s the underdog in the family. She doesn’t get a lot of attention, because she’s not the perfect debutante according to her mother’s expectations,’ says Isabella. ‘She’s magnetic in this sweet and enthusiastic way, but she’s a little bit rough around the edges.’
And Isabella Wei says it was easy to come into such an established cast, ‘They were all excited to meet us, just as we were excited to meet them. They totally swooped us up with open arms. It was the most welcoming, comfortable, family-like experience.’
Isabella Wei made her television debut as geisha-dressed character Ling Yi in 1899 (2022), before playing Zadie in the 2024 remake of The Crow and Kai-Ming in Netflix's Black Doves (2024).
Hannah Dodd as Francesca Stirling
Quiet sibling Francesca Bridgerton returns from Scotland with her husband John Stirling at the beginning of this series, but it's clear that all is not well for the young Bridgerton bride.
‘There’s a little bit of tension,’ says Hannah Dodd. ‘It becomes apparent that it wasn’t the dream for Francesca. She’s definitely ready to come back to her family, and she’s looking to spend more time in London.’ And she needs some advice on how to address intimacy with her new hubby – as clearly Violet Bridgerton is not going to impart the information she needs to be ‘reaching her pinnacle’ (when she finds out what that actually is!).
At the same time, she is uncomfortable with the closeness John has with his cousin, ‘Michaela is an absolute force of nature, and that’s the opposite of Fran,’ says Hannah. ‘Francesca adores John and, at the moment, is not feeling confident in who she is as a wife and in providing for him. Seeing Michaela and John’s dynamic and all of the years that they’ve known each other that Fran can’t compete with was a really interesting dynamic to play.’
After signing to Select Models when she was 16, Hannah Dodd used the money she made to fund a dance degree – modelling alongside Romeo Beckham in a 2014 Burberry campaign on the way.
Hannah made her television debut in Find Me in Paris (2018-2020) as Thea Raphael, then appeared as Sophia Fitzwilliam in Harlots (2018-2019). In 2021 Hannah began the illusionary adult form of Sprite in Eternals, and as a young version of Sienna Miller’s character in Anatomy of a Scandal (2022).
Victor Alli as John Stirling
John Stirling is working in Parliament and learning to live with his new wife Francesca Bridgerton who he loves deeply - but as two introverts things are not always simple. His cousin Michaela brings out a boldness in John and he feels he can truly be himself around her.
‘He’s working for Parliament; it’s quite a stressful job and they’re struggling to have a baby,’ says Victor. ‘Michaela puts him at ease. They have a similar sense of humour and Michaela just represents fun. Francesca is so jealous of that because she doesn’t feel she provides John with that.’
After playing a soldier in the award-winning Belfast (2021), Victor Alli established himself on screen in Last Light (2022), and was seen last year as Johnnie Galloway in Gangs of London (2025).
Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling
Bold and confident Michaela Baduza is an independent woman and not afraid to speak her mind. She loves her cousin John dearly and while she brings out a boldness in him, John allows Michaela’s vulnerable side to shine as she feels safe with him. Her sibling like relationship with John can be hard for Francesca, but Michaela is keen to get to know her. ‘Not only does she feel like Francesca’s taking her cousin away from her, but she also wants to get to know Francesca because she likes her. It’s very complicated.’
After starting with work mainly in South Africa, in 2020 Masali Baduza played Sephy Hadley in Noughts + Crosses.
In film she has played Young Trish Deveraux in Slumber Party Massacre (2021), and Fumbe in The Woman King (2022).
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton
Penelope is happily married to Colin Bridgerton following their wedding last series, loves their baby boy and is trying to balance this with writing again. ‘Every season of Bridgerton, certainly for Pen, there’s always been some angst, whereas this time she’s pretty footloose and fancy-free. It’s so much fun to get to play that side of her and play marital bliss.’ This season she has to contend with Queen Charlotte becoming more involved with her writing which brings its own issues.
After a shaky start in the industry when sporadic work opportunities meant she couldn’t afford to live in London, in 2018 Nicola landed the role of Clare Devlin in Derry Girls. That same year she played Hannah Dalton in Harlots.
More recently Nicole Coughlan won critical acclaim for her 2024 portrayal of bipolar sufferer Maggie, in comedy drama Big Mood.
When it comes to films, Nicola has played Humble Joan in Sieze Them! (2024), but she had to cut short her cameo as Diplomat Barbie in the Barbie (2024) movie because of filming clashes with Bridgerton. Nicola will be seen next on the big screen as Silky in the upcoming adaptation of The Magic Faraway Tree.
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
After last series Colin Brdigerton is enjoying the stability of marriage and providing support for Penelope as she navigates the issues of being a public figure. ‘We find Colin and Penelope completely in love to the point that they’re almost smug about it,’ says Luke. ‘They’re completely obsessed with each other, particularly Colin. He’s got this obsession with never wanting anyone or anything else.’
Starting young back in 2010, Luke Newton made his television debut in teen series The Cut as Luke Atwood. He then became a Disney kid as Ben Evans in The Lodge (2016-2017) and scared us all as Billy in Lake Placid: Legacy (2018).
Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise Brdigerton is not sad to be left on the shelf and can see some big benefits to not being wed. She takes on helping sister Hyacinth prepare for her debut season and her mother is hopeful that this will soften her to the idea of romance.
Always happy to welcome women into the Bridgerton family, Eloise loves Sophie who she sees as a kindred spirit, ‘I really love that about Eloise, that she’s very excited when a new woman walks through the door,’ says Claudia. ‘It’s good, because there are so many kids. There’s bound to be more.’
Soon after starting her TV career Claudia Jessie was cast in CBBC Online show Dixi (2014-2016) and at the same time was making WPC 56 (2015) playing WPC Annie Taylor. She then stayed with the police as DC Jodie Taylor in Line of Duty in 2017.
You may have seen also have seen Claudia as Amelia Sedley in ITV’s Vanity Fair (2018), or more recently as Maggie Mahon in Toxic Town (2025).
Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton
Hyacinth Bridgerton is the sassy and outspoken younger daughter of the Bridgeton clan known for being smart, confident and funny with it. She is deeply loyal to her family but not afraid to speak her mind. Despite this she is also a true romantic and wants to debut so she can meet her prince.
Florence Hunt made her television debut playing a young version Nimue in Netflix fantasy series Cursed (2020) before landing the role of Hyacinth the same year.
She was seen recently in the nostalgic series Mix Tape (2025) as Young Alison. Plus, she has the movie Queen of the Sea with Juliette Binoche to come.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
No one would dare cross Queen Charlotte who rules the upper classes. She is obsessed with marriages, fashion and gossip and her hardened exterior hides pain and disappointment within her marriage.
Golda Rosheuvel spent her teen years doing athletics with intent to become a professional athlete until an ankle injury ruled that out.
Luckily Golda has many strings to her bow and she went on to make a name for herself in theatre. That then kick-started her TV career and she's popped up in many much-loved series, usually as something medical - including Coronation Street as Doctor Renshaw and a midwife in EastEnders. Golda has also played Dr Angela Connolly in Torchwood and Doctor Lorrimer in Casualty.
She is probably most recognised for her role Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton, and in the spin-off hit series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
What happened in Bridgerton S3?
Step forward Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), the focus of the third outing of the show.
He upset his friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) at the end of series two when she overheard him saying he would never consider romance with her. Penelope decides she’s had enough of her suffocating life with her sisters and mum and the crush she has on Colin is a waste of time – so she needs to find a husband. Colin can’t work out why Pen is giving him the cold shoulder so offers her some ‘confidence building’ lessons so she can find romance.
Naturally they develop a teacher-student relationship all of us could see coming and get engaged after a steamy carriage ride seals the deal. But will their friends-to-lovers relationship survive him discovering her Lady Whistledown alter ego? Well, since they have already had sex he does the honourable thing and marries her. Who says romance is dead?
Meanwhile Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) finds out Penelope’s secret - that she is Lady Whistledown - and tries to blackmail her. In a plot twist which shows how high in London society this lot are, Penelope asks actual Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) to help. She’s revealed to be the gossip writer everyone loves to hate at (another) ball and asks the Queen if she can carry on, but in an open and responsible way. Colin forgives her and we later find out they are now parents to a baby boy.
This series we also said goodbye to Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and his wife Kate (Simone Ashley) who move to India as they start a family. Brother Benedict (Luke Thompson) has the shows first threesome which he rather enjoys and is open to trying again, Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) makes her debut into society, immediately falls for fellow introvert John Stirling (Victor Alli) and marries him before moving to Scotland together where she hopes to get to know herself better.
What happened in Bridgerton S2?
Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) was the focus of this season, and we all cheered! His relationship with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) was textbook ‘enemies to lovers’ as Anthony actually proposes to her rather more easy-going sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) before he realises it’s Kate who has his heart. Edwina clocks that Anthony and Kate have feelings for each other at the actual wedding and says ‘I don’t’ at the altar. Calling the whole thing off causes massive scandal for both families.
As Anthony and Kate navigate this frankly messy start to their coupling the rest of the Bridgerton family have their own problems. Colin (Luke Newton) is back from the Regency equivalent of a gap year ready to start his life with gusto. After showing Jack Featherington (Rupert Young) who is boss he manages to ‘save’ Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and it looks like romance could be on the cards until she overhears him talking trash about her to his mates. Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) falls for a poor boy called Theo (Calam Lynch) and their chemistry is undeniable but sadly short-lived. But Eloise is distracted when she discovers her bestie Penelope is secretly Lady Whistledown the gossip columnist who has caused so many issues for her family and their friendship hangs in the balance.
What happened in Bridgerton S1?
It’s 1813 and we get our first peek into the gilded lives of those living the high life in Mayfair, London. This season Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) is our focus – she is the oldest daughter of eight siblings. All named in alphabetical order which is rather extra, the family fill their time with balls and impressing potential suitors in other noble families.
Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) - who has her own Netflix spin-off show - has noted Daphne is a ‘diamond’ so she should have the landed gentry lining up. But she is still unlucky in love thanks in part to her overbearing big brother Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).
She falls in love with the hottest aristocrat match - the Duke of Hastings Simon Basset (Rege-Jean Page) and its looking good for them. Except they want different things from life. For Daphne a massive family like her own is her vision while Simon has vowed to never have kids. How will they navigate this?
Meanwhile the Bridgerton family seem to be a target for new scandal sheet author Lady Whistledown who has the inside track on the affairs of them and their friends. She has a particular dislike for the “tasteless, tactless” Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) and her three daughters, Philipa (Harriet Cains), Prudence (Bessie Carter), and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan). This Lady is not just spilling the tea – she is throwing the whole damn teapot and the Bridgerton’s are not amused!
Is Bridgerton based on a book?
Although based on the Bridgerton books, the team behind the TV show are keen to stress they serve as inspiration rather than a true adaptation.
The novel series comprises of eight Regency romances and were released between 2000 and 2006. Written by American author Julia Quinn, each focuses on one of the Bridgerton children as they look for love and navigate the pressures of being one of the most loved families in British nobility.
They were popular when first released, but the Netflix series boosted sales and several of the titles have spent time on The New York Times bestsellers list.
A book of epilogues for the main series, The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After was published in 2013 and the Rokesby series of books provides four prequels featuring some of the family members before the Bridgerton series.
Where is Bridgerton filmed?
Locations around the UK make up the opulent houses and estates seen in Bridgerton.
While we are told the Bridgerton family home is in Mayfair, the building we see is actually the wisteria-clad Ranger’s House on the edge of Greenwich Park. Location Manager, Paul Tomlinson explained they were looking for a large house that would present the Bridgertons as a well-established upper-class family. 'The size of the property fitted the brief perfectly as it feels grand, yet it has a welcoming quality that is not always the case with period houses of this size,' says Paul. Initially it was actually put forward as the Featherington House!
And insider info – the wisteria which drapes the front has never been there in real-life. It is added for filming by attaching branches and fake flowers to scaffold poles. RAF Halton, one of the largest Royal Air Force stations is used for interior shots and when the Bridgerton’s decamp to the country in their wealthy way, Aubery House, Bedfordshire is used.
Some rooms at RAF Halton were also used for the Featherington’s dining room as well as Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, where Queen Elizabeth I grew up. No 1 Royal Crescent in Bath is a Regency masterpiece and doubles as the exterior for the home of the Featheringtons. The garden used to host their lavish party in the second series is located in Basildon Park, which boasts an impressive rose garden. And we saw Penelope and Colin enjoy their wedding breakfast in Claydon House, Buckinghamshire.
Hampton Court Palace serves as the exterior shots of Queen Charlotte’s home. Once the palace of King Henry VIII it’s found on the banks of the Thames near Richmond. The interior shots are actually taken in Lancaster House, Westminster and Wilton House, Wiltshire.
When we see the cast walking through London’s streets they are often actually in the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, a popular filming location for period dramas. When it comes to ballrooms some of the best in the UK have been used including Hampton Court Palace, Osterley Park and House, Leigh Court and Bath Assembly Rooms.
What pop songs will be used in Bridgerton S4?
Aside from the dresses and drama, music is a major part of the Bridgeton charm. The show has made a name for itself by taking modern hits and giving them a classical twist. Somehow this makes those ballroom scenes especially feel more relevant to us all.
So, which instrumental pop covers will be featured in S4? Well, we can tell you the melodies to listen out for in episode one;
Life in Technicolour (Coldplay) by Vitamin String Quartet
DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love (Usher ft. Pitbull) by Strings From Paris
Never Let You Go (Third Eye Blind) by Vitamin String Quartet
Will there be a S5 of Bridgerton?
A return for series five and six of Bridgerton has been confirmed! Showrunner Jess Brownell revealed on the red carpet of the Bridgerton 4 premiere. ‘Both characters with the initials on my pocket squares will get seasons in five and six. In what order? I can’t say,’ she teased. And the letters in question were E and F so Eloise and Francesca will be the focus.
When is Bridgerton S4 set to be released?
Series four is split into two parts, the first four episodes drop on Netflix on Thursday 29 January, and you can see the remaining four in the second set from Thursday 26 February.
Where can I watch Bridgerton?
Series one to three of Bridgerton are all available on Netflix, with series four set to join imminently. Well, at least the first half.
Caroline Blight has been interviewing famous TV faces for magazines and radio since she was a teenager and grown up with some of our faves on film sets and in posh hotels – safe to say they are doing better than her, but who's having the most fun?