“Bridgerton” Season 5 Centers Francesca and Michaela in the Show’s First Queer Love Story

Summary:

• Netflix confirms “Bridgerton” Season 5 in production with same-gender romance starring Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza. Showrunner calls decision groundbreaking.

• Francesca reenters marriage mart after husband’s death, conflicted by feelings for John’s cousin Michaela in diverse season.

• First time “Bridgerton” focuses on same-gender couple, following Season 4’s introduction of a queer character. Premieres expected in late 2027.

Netflix confirmed Tuesday that “Bridgerton” Season 5 is now in production and for the first time in the show’s history, a same-gender romance will take center stage.

Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza are set to lead the season as Francesca Bridgerton and Michaela Stirling, with showrunner Jess Brownell calling the decision groundbreaking. “To make an entire ‘Bridgerton’ season about a sapphic relationship feels huge,” Brownell said.

 

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The season picks up two years after the death of Francesca’s husband, John, when she 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.

Michaela is a gender-swapped version of the character Michael Stirling from Julia Quinn’s novel “When He Was Wicked,” on which the season is based. Quinn has given the change her personal seal of approval, saying she is “deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen.”

Dodd said queer love stories “have traditionally been excluded from things like period dramas and queer people did exist, have always existed, and will always exist. So they deserve a love story just like everybody else.”

The season marks the first time “Bridgerton” has placed a same-gender couple at the center of its story. It follows Season 4, which introduced Benedict Bridgerton as a queer character.

Francesca and Michaela’s season is expected to premiere in late 2027 at the earliest.