Shonda Rhimes has spoken about Bridgerton’s first central queer love story, describing her excitement as the Netflix series prepares to break new ground in its upcoming fifth season.
The hit Regency-era drama will, for the first time, centre a season-long romance between two women: Francesca Bridgerton, played by Hannah Dodd, and Michaela Sterling, portrayed by Masali Baduza. The storyline marks a significant departure from Julia Quinn’s original novel When He Was Wicked, in which Francesca’s second love interest is male.
Speaking to People, Rhimes said she had been heartened by the overwhelmingly positive response from fans to the show’s evolving storytelling. “The fans have been so supportive of every direction we’ve taken with the story,” she said, adding that the reaction to the most recent season had been “extraordinary”. She said she was eager for audiences to see what the creative team has planned next.
Season five will follow on from the events of the fourth season, which saw Francesca devastated by the sudden death of her husband, John Sterling. His cousin Michaela returns to London shortly afterwards, setting the stage for Francesca to question whether to re-enter the marriage market or follow her own desires.
Rhimes confirmed that filming on the new season has already begun and said she was enjoying seeing the relationship develop on screen. While careful not to reveal plot details, she described the early stages of production as “amazing”.
The decision to gender-swap the character of Michael Sterling was publicly supported by Quinn in 2024, when the author said she was committed to seeing the Bridgerton universe become more diverse and inclusive as it moves from page to screen.
The Netflix series, created by Chris Van Dusen and executive produced by Rhimes, has previously been lauded for its colour-conscious casting and modern approach to historical romance. However, season five will mark the first time a queer relationship takes centre stage for an entire instalment.
All four existing seasons of Bridgerton are currently available to stream on Netflix. A release date for season five has not yet been confirmed, though it is expected to arrive in late 2027 or early 2028.
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