'Bridgerton' Season 4 Brings Lots of 'Juicy Conflict,' Showrunner Reveals

Fans of Bridgerton will be in for a treat after a long wait, as series showrunner Jess Brownell teased what is in store for the show when it returns for its fourth season in January.

According to Brownell, the Cinderella-like story of the pragmatic maid Sophie (Yerin Ha) and the passionate second Bridgerton son Benedict will be full of 'juicy conflict,' based on the An Offer From a Gentleman novel from Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series.

Benedict and Sophie's Unlikely Love Story

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Brownell shared that Shondaland inserted a unique spin on the time-tested fairy tale romance for the next instalment of Netflix's hit romance drama.

According to the showrunner, writer and producer, the new season will introduce a new character trope that fairy tale fans are already familiar with, a maid who falls in love with a rich man.

But unlike the usual Cinderella story where a damsel in distress is often rescued by a handsome prince, the upcoming season of Bridgerton will veer away from the cliche.

'We get to watch a very headstrong young woman try to decide her fate for herself and pick up the courage to believe in and dream for a life greater than the one she currently has,' the showrunner said.

Brownell added that Benedict and Sophie's instalment was 'the easiest book to adapt' to the small screen so far. It has lots of good materials for TV adaptation.

'There are just a lot of rich set pieces that gave us juicy conflict and high stakes. I think fans will be happy to see quite a few of the set pieces from the book in the show,' Brownell added.

The showrunner also teased the amazing chemistry between the leads for this season. She recalled that watching Thompson and Ha bring their characters to life felt like she was watching a theatrical production because of the actors' tension and chemistry.

The showrunner added that they tried to make the presence of all Bridgerton family members felt in Season 4.

'It's a season where we try to make sure all of the siblings feel present in some way and present in the main love story as much as possible,' Brownell shared. 'Eloise [Claudia Jessie], for example, has a very tight relationship with Benedict and she will be involved in his search for the masked woman this year.'

Colin and Penelope's Growing Family

Aside from the exciting romance between the bohemian Bridgerton son and the reluctant maid, fans of the series will also see a major development in the lives of one of the fan-favourite couples.

Based on the teasers, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and his wife Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) return to the 'ton with the sweetest and cutest addition to their family.

Penelope is also expected to see the repercussions of unmasking herself as the poetically honest Lady Whistledown. 'Penelope is in a tricky position this year trying to please the Queen without giving up her journalistic integrity,' the showrunner stated.

The first part of Bridgerton premieres on Netflix on 29 January, while the second half comes out on 26 February.