Honestly, the wait for is there a bridgerton season 4 has felt longer than a season without a Diamond of the First Water. We've all been hovering over our Netflix accounts since Penelope and Colin rode off into the sunset. Well, put your fans down. It’s officially happening.
The ton is buzzing for a reason. Netflix has finally locked in the dates, and if you’re looking for a quick answer: yes, there is absolutely a season 4. In fact, it's basically right around the corner.
When does Bridgerton Season 4 actually come out?
We’re looking at a winter premiere. Netflix is sticking to the split-release schedule that they used for Season 3, which is kinda frustrating but also gives us more time to obsess over every single frame.
The dates you need to circle in your planner are:
- Part 1 (Episodes 1-4): January 29, 2026
- Part 2 (Episodes 5-8): February 26, 2026
If you’re reading this right now, the global premiere event in Paris—the "Premiere Masquerade"—just happened on January 14. Lucky fans at the Palais Brongniart already got a sneak peek at the first episode. For the rest of us? We’ve got a couple of weeks to wait before the official drop.
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Benedict’s big year: Who is the lead?
For a long time, we weren't sure if the show would follow the books or jump ahead to Eloise or Francesca. But the creators decided to circle back to the second Bridgerton brother. It’s Benedict’s time.
Luke Thompson is stepping into the spotlight as the lead. This season is based on Julia Quinn’s third novel, An Offer from a Gentleman. It’s a classic Cinderella-style setup. Benedict, our resident bohemian artist, is still "loath to settle down" (Netflix's words, not mine) until he meets a mysterious woman at his mother’s masquerade ball.
She’s known as the "Lady in Silver." In the books, her name is Sophie Beckett. But for the show, there's a cool update.
Meet the new Sophie
Australian actress Yerin Ha has joined the cast as Sophie Baek. The showrunners actually worked with Yerin to change the character's surname from Beckett to Baek to honor her Korean heritage. It’s a small change that means a lot for representation.
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Sophie isn't just a "damsel in distress" either. Early reports and trailers suggest she’s got a bit more grit than her book counterpart. She’s a maid who sneaks into the ball, catches Benedict's eye, and then disappears, leaving him with nothing but a satin glove and a lot of questions.
What about the rest of the cast?
Don't worry, the whole family is back. Well, mostly.
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope) and Luke Newton (Colin) are confirmed to return. Now that Pen is officially revealed as Lady Whistledown to the ton, her dynamic with the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel) is going to be... intense.
Speaking of the Queen, she’s back, along with Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell).
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The Kanthony Situation
There’s been some drama about whether Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey would return as Kate and Anthony. Good news: they are in Season 4. However, they might not be in every episode. Since they left for India at the end of Season 3, the show has to find a way to bring them back into the fold. Author Julia Quinn mentioned on Instagram that they aren't at the big masquerade ball because they're still traveling, but Jonathan Bailey has hinted that he filmed wedding scenes for this season.
New Faces in the Ton
- Katie Leung (yes, Cho Chang from Harry Potter!) plays Lady Araminta Gun. She’s the "wicked stepmother" figure.
- Michelle Mao and Isabella Wei play her daughters, Rosamund and Posy.
Why the production took so long
If you're wondering why it took until 2026 to get this season, you're not alone. Filming for Bridgerton is a massive undertaking.
Production started in September 2024 and wrapped in June 2025. Nicola Coughlan joked at the 2025 BAFTAs that this season took "nine months" to film—basically a full pregnancy. The show uses real locations across the UK, and the costumes alone take months to hand-stitch.
The showrunner, Jess Brownell, has mentioned that they are trying to find ways to speed things up for future seasons, but for now, the "two-year gap" seems to be the standard.
What happens next?
The countdown is on. Since is there a bridgerton season 4 is no longer a question of "if" but "when," here is how you can prepare:
- Watch the trailer: Netflix released a teaser in October 2025 that shows the first meeting between Benedict and the Lady in Silver.
- Listen to the music: The first episode "The Waltz" features orchestral covers of hits by Coldplay and Usher.
- Read the book: If you can't wait, An Offer from a Gentleman will give you the basic roadmap, though the show always adds its own twists.
Netflix has already renewed the series for Season 5 and Season 6. Whether the next lead is Eloise or Francesca remains a mystery, but for now, we have eight episodes of Benedict’s "Cinderella" story to look forward to this January.