‘Bridgerton’ Season 5 gets exciting update ahead 2027 return

On 'Bridgerton,' a glance can cause as much commotion as a proposal. The marriage mart keeps moving, and another Bridgerton sibling is about to take her turn. After Benedict and Sophie's romance led Season 4, Francesca Stirling is stepping into the spotlight. Her next chapter pairs her with Michaela Stirling, bringing the Netflix drama its first same-gender central love story.

Netflix has confirmed that Season 5 has finished filming outside London. The announcement appears in a Tudum update, with Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza returning as Francesca and Michaela. The streamer has reiterated that the season will arrive in 2027. The release window was announced earlier this year. An exact premiere date has not been announced. A trailer has yet to be released.

Netflix's official synopsis lays out what follows: “The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca. Two years after losing her beloved husband, John, Francesca decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons. But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Francesca’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.” John Stirling, played by Victor Alli, died in Season 4. Michaela left without telling Francesca after John's funeral, leaving their connection unresolved when viewers last saw them together.

Showrunner Jess Brownell expanded on that approach. “What is most exciting about Season 5 is that it is going to be a season about queer joy. It is not going to be a season about queer trauma,” she said. “And, if there’s anything really specific about this season, it is the yearning. It’s big-time yearning.” Brownell said humor would remain part of the story alongside the characters' conflicts.

That approach still leaves room for both women to carry their grief. “They grieve very differently,” Dodd said. “I don’t think grieving is something that you get over. John’s going to be with Fran, and the impact of John will be with Fran forever.” Baduza said Michaela shares that sense of loss over her cousin, even as the relationship offers both women a chance to heal.

For Baduza, Michaela's journey also involves allowing herself to be vulnerable. “[Michaela] is used to having all these walls up. I’m excited to tear down those walls and have her let Francesca in,” she said. “I’m excited for people to see Michaela yearn for Francesca.” Dodd added, “Francesca yearns too, to be fair!”

The season draws inspiration from Julia Quinn's novel 'When He Was Wicked.' Its television adaptation follows Francesca's romance with Michaela, a gender-swapped version of the book's Michael. Francesca takes the lead ahead of her older sister Eloise, continuing the show's departures from the novels' order. Season 3 similarly moved Colin and Penelope's romance ahead of Benedict's.