'bridgerton' Will Center Francesca And Michaela's Love Story Next. Prepare For Sapphic Yearning

Dearest gentle reader, nan countdown to Francesca and Michaela’s play has officially begun.

Netflix announced Tuesday that “Bridgerton” Season 5 is officially successful accumulation pinch a teaser confirming nan show’s adjacent cardinal romance will impact nan sixth Bridgerton related and her precocious hubby John Stirling‘s cousin. As it had been hinted, nan upcoming play of nan regency romance will travel Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling’s (Masali Baduza) emotion story.

“Next play emotion originates again,” sounds nan matter that accompanies little footage of nan couple-to-be.

This will beryllium nan first clip “Bridgerton” centers a queer emotion story, and it’s a departure from nan caller bid from which nan show is adapted. In Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” books, Michaela is Michael, and Francesca’s communicative is nan taxable of nan sixth book successful nan series, “When He Was Wicked.”

As showrunner Jess Brownell antecedently told The Times, she had ever known she wanted to show a queer emotion communicative successful nan show.

“That was nan first speech I ever had pinch Shonda Rhimes,” Brownell said. “It’s already mattered truthful overmuch to truthful galore group to spot themselves on-screen pinch nan show successful different ways and it’s only correct for queer group to besides get to spot themselves successful a show touted arsenic being an inclusive fantasy.”

“Bridgerton” Season 4 concluded pinch Francesca dealing pinch nan abrupt decease of her husband, played by Victor Alli, arsenic good arsenic Michaela’s abrupt determination to time off London, contempt her committedness to stay. According to nan logline, nan 5th play will prime up 2 years later pinch Francesca deciding to reenter nan matrimony mart “for applicable reasons.” That is, until Michaela’s return makes things much complicated.

Francesca and Michaela, of course, are not nan first queer characters to look successful nan series. “Bridgerton” has antecedently explored Benedict’s sexuality and, arsenic Brownell has said previously, his matrimony to Sophie “does not negate [his] queerness.”

If Brownell’s comments to Netflix’s inhouse publication Tudum are thing to spell by, fans should hole for a spot of a slow pain — astatine slightest by “Bridgerton” standards.

“More than ever, Season 5 is going to beryllium astir yearning,” Brownell said, adding that it “feels groundbreaking” to person a “Bridgerton” play focused connected a queer romance.

“Obviously, location are a batch of awesome shows that person depicted queer love. We’re not nan first by immoderate means,” Brownell said. “But to make an full ‘Bridgerton’ play astir a sapphic narration feels huge.”