Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in “Bridgerton“ season 3. Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2024
THE announcement of “Bridgerton” season four has got fans salivating.
Season three had streamers swooning over Penelope and Colin’s dreamy romance but the real tea is about to spill over who’s next in the spotlight next.
So who’s the next season’s romance runway couple? Is it the dashing Benedict, played by the ever-charming Luke Thompson, or the dazzling Eloise, portrayed by the vivacious Claudia Jessie?
Showrunner Jess Brownell dropped a few hints at the UK premiere.
“I have almost slipped up a couple of times, so keep asking, and maybe I’ll slip up,” Brownell confessed to “The Hollywood Reporter”.
“I’m really excited about what we’re writing. We’re toward the end with the writers’ room season, with the scripts. And I feel like it’s some of my best work and my writers’ room’s best work.
“We’ve just really gelled our collaboration, and we’re firing on all cylinders, so I can’t wait for fans to see what we have.”
But here’s the kicker: while the team is working their fingers to the bone to get the show out faster, it’s still a whole production saga – eight months of filming, editing and dubbing into every language.
So, while they’re pushing to speed up, don’t hold your breath for a quick turnaround. We’re looking at another two-year wait.
“And the writing takes a very long time as well, so we’re kind of on a two-year pace. We’re trying to speed up, but somewhere in that range.”
As for the juicy details, Luke Thompson will definitely be back next season, along with Nicola Coughlan (Penelope) and Luke Newton (Colin).
“They’ve told us we’re back for season 4, which is super lovely … It’ll be exciting,” Coughlan teased. “We’ll pop back and have some fun for sure.”
Over in Monaco, Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey are crossing their fingers and toes to return as the beloved Kate and Anthony.
“Both Johnny and I, we adore our characters, Kate and Anthony, so much and their relationship and what they mean for the show,” Ashley said. “I think we’ll do all we can with our schedules to make it work so that we can, hopefully.”
While no other cast members are officially confirmed yet, it’s a safe bet that fan favourites like Adjoa Andoh, Golda Rosheuvel, Ruth Gemmell, Claudia Jessie, and Hannah Dodd will be gracing our screens again.
And let’s not forget Masali Baduza, who made a surprise appearance in season three –chances are she’ll be back to stir up more drama.