Season four of Bridgerton wrapped up last week, sending Benedict and Sophie off with their long-awaited happy ending. With season five already on the horizon, we’re are already wondering which characters will be back for the next chapter of the ton.
There are still plenty of Bridgerton siblings whose love stories haven’t been told yet, but with such a huge cast and so many different stories, there are also some big questions about who will return.
Netflix
Showrunner Jess Brownell revealed that a lot depends on who ends up leading season five.
Speaking to Forbes, Brownell explained that the show’s returning characters will partly hinge on whether the story focuses on Eloise or Francesca next.
“I think if we’re thinking about someone like Eloise, actually, her relationship with Kate, as well as her relationship with Penelope, are really important relationships,” Brownell said. “So those are two characters I would really expect to see.”
If the focus shifts to Francesca, however, the dynamic could look a little different. Francesca lost her husband John this season, leaving her newly widowed. In the original books by Julia Quinn, Francesca eventually falls for John’s cousin Michael, though the show has introduced the character as Michaela instead.
Brownell also hinted that Francesca’s story could overlap with Benedict’s in an interesting way.
Netflix
“When we talk about Francesca, she doesn’t realise it yet, but she has a bit of overlap with Benedict in terms of queerness,” she explained. “So that is a relationship I would want to see when we get to Francesca’s season.”
Elsewhere, season four also saw Lady Danbury bid farewell to Queen Charlotte before heading off on a trip she’s long wanted to take. Don’t worry, you shouldn’t assume that means she’s leaving the show for good. Brownell told The Wrap that the moment was “more about shaking up the dynamic” than writing Lady Danbury out entirely.
Kate and Anthony are also expected to return in guest roles, keeping them connected to the family story even after their own season.
And in what would be a huge moment for longtime fans, there’s also speculation that the Duke and Daphne could make appearances again in some capacity.
So while the next lead hasn’t officially been confirmed yet, it sounds like plenty of familiar faces will still be part of the ton when Bridgerton returns for season five.
