Yes, "Bridgerton" season 3 only just ended last month on Netflix, but our focus has already shifted to all of the Regency-era romantic drama to come in "Bridgerton" season 4. And after weeks of wondering which member of the Bridgerton brood will hit the marriage mart as our romantic hero next season, we finally have an answer: Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson.
On Tuesday, July 23, the streamer announced its new lead for season 4 across its social media pages. "Welcome to the marriage mart Mr. Bridgerton," Netflix captioned the post. "Benedict’s story is coming next season." Alongside clips of the artsy Bridgerton lad, the video also includes a cheeky cameo by Luke Thompson, during which he receives a suit for an upcoming masquerade ball.
Dear readers of the Julia Quinn-penned novel series on which "Bridgerton" is based may remember that a masquerade ball is where Benedict first meets his main love interest, Sophie Beckett.
The love story between Benedict and Sophie plays out on the pages of the third "Bridgerton" novel, "An Offer from a Gentleman." However, though the Netflix series kept to the novel order for its first two installments — with season 1 centering on eldest Bridgerton daughter Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), and season 2 following the illicit romance between Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and his intended's sister, Kate (Simone Ashley) — showrunner Jess Brownell and the rest of the production team decided to change up the story order for season 3.
The third season skipped over Benedict's storyline to tell the friends-to-lovers relationship between Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) from book 4, which was moved up to accelerate that whole Lady Whistledown reveal.
But the fourth season will finally give the second eldest Bridgerton sibling his time in the spotlight. Last we saw the perpetual bachelor in season 3, he had turned down Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) and her offer of monogamy after engaging in a passionate threesome with the lady and her friend Paul (Lucas Aurelio). And now we know he needed to be single so that he could be free and available for Sophie Beckett in season 4.
“The fourth season of ‘Bridgerton’ turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson),” per the Netflix announcement. “Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.”
Brownell had previously hinted that "Bridgerton" viewers would see clues about which Bridgerton sibling would be taking the main character role for season 4 in the show's third season. She revealed to TV Insider: "I won’t give you anything, but I do think that there are some clues at the end of season 3 of where we’re headed. So yeah, I leave that to fans to pick apart, but I think we’re tipping our hand just a little bit."
Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things "Bridgerton" season 4, including intel about storylines, new characters, behind-the-scenes tidbits and more. In the meantime, you can revisit the romantic journeys of Benedict's siblings Daphne, Anthony and Colin by rewatching the first three seasons of "Bridgerton" on Netflix.
