‘Bridgerton’ Is Breaking Its Own Rules for Season 5, and Francesca’s Sapphic Romance Is the Reason Why
Since its Christmas Day debut in 2020, ‘Bridgerton’ has grown into one of Netflix’s most successful global franchises, turning Regency-era ballrooms and breathless courtship into appointment viewing for audiences around the world. It stands as one of only three shows on the streamer’s all-time top ten English-language series list to have placed two separate seasons on the chart, sharing that distinction with ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things’.
Since launching in December 2020, ‘Bridgerton’ has followed a reliable pattern, with Season 2 arriving in 2022, Season 3 in 2024, and Season 4 in 2026. That steady two-year rhythm became almost as much a part of the show’s identity as its lush costumes and swooning scores, giving fans a long but consistent wait between each sibling’s turn at love.
At Netflix’s upfront presentation, the streamer delivered news that’s bound to shock everyone at the Ton. ‘Bridgerton’ is officially breaking its two-year release schedule and dropping Season 5 in 2027, a first for the romantic adaptation since it enchanted viewers back in 2020. To help close the gap between seasons, Netflix started production on Season 5 in March, just a couple of weeks after Part 2 of Season 4 debuted on February 26, marking the quickest turnaround in the show’s run.
Season 5 spotlights the introverted middle daughter Francesca, played by Hannah Dodd, two years after losing her beloved husband John. Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons, but when John’s cousin Michaela, portrayed by Masali Baduza, returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions. The season also marks a first for the franchise, with a queer romance at its center, adapting Julia Quinn’s novel where the character of Michaela was originally written as John’s male cousin, Michael.
Dodd addressed the significance of placing queer characters at the heart of a period drama, noting that queer people “did exist, have always existed, and will always exist,” and that their exclusion from stories like this has historically been a glaring omission. Baduza, meanwhile, spoke to Bustle about the responsibility she feels carrying the story, saying she is “so proud to be telling her story alongside Hannah” and that it is “a huge, important step forward for so many people.” Dodd echoed that warmth in an interview with Tudum, reflecting that “when you spend so much time with a character, you genuinely do want them to be happy,” and expressing how much she is looking forward to Francesca feeling like she deserves love.
Three new cast members have joined the ensemble this season, with Tega Alexander, Jacqueline Boatswain, and Gemma Knight Jones all stepping into new roles. The broader Bridgerton family also returns, with Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson, Luke Newton, Adjoa Andoh, Golda Rosheuvel, and Ruth Gemmell all back alongside the new leads. Season 6 was confirmed at the same time as Season 5, meaning the universe still has more Bridgerton siblings left to discover their great loves.
Showrunner Jess Brownell has been open about what this season means creatively, saying it “never felt right to not be inclusive of queer love” within the show’s romantic fantasy, and describing the idea of building an entire ‘Bridgerton’ season around a sapphic relationship as feeling genuinely groundbreaking.
With production already rolling outside London and the Ton buzzing ahead of a 2027 arrival, all eyes are now firmly on Francesca and Michaela, so it feels like the right moment to ask which part of their story you are most eager to see finally brought to life.
