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Did ‘Bridgerton’s Author Just Reveal Season 5’s Lead? Why Fans Are Abuzz
Bridgerton‘s fourth season is nearing with each passing week as we gear up for the show’s 2026 return, but a recent social media post by author Julia Quinn is stirring up Season 5 speculation.
As fans know by now, Shondaland’s hit Netflix series is based on the books written by Quinn, with An Offer From a Gentleman serving as the primary source material for Season 4’s storyline centered around the second-eldest son, Benedict (Luke Thompson), and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). But it appears that Quinn has specifically called out the series’ fifth book, To Sir Phillip, With Love, which revolves around Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and her romance with Sir Phillip Crane (Chris Fulton).
In a post shared to Quinn’s Instagram, she featured a collage from behind-the-scenes moments on the set of Bridgerton in which she was speaking to Jessie. In the image, Quinn asked Jessie if she’d read ahead in the series and saw Eloise’s storyline and romance. “I know everything,” Jessie responded.
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Ultimately, Quinn captioned this collage with, “Looking back… and looking ahead. Photos from 2019, collage and transcript from @_inmylibrary_ (thank you!) #Bridgerton #philoise #tosirphillipwithlove.”
Quinn’s hashtags really seemed to tip off the potential hint that she could be alluding to Season 5’s leads, but it’s also important to take things with a grain of salt until they are confirmed.
What we do know so far is that Bridgerton will be back for Seasons 5 and 6, and Shonda Rhimes recently revealed that, should things go forward as planned, each Bridgerton sibling will have their own season, bringing the show to eight overall. Still, if past seasons have taught us anything, the Bridgerton TV series doesn’t necessarily have to follow the order of the books. Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin’s (Luke Newton) love story depicted in Quinn’s fourth novel, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, played out in Season 3, jumping in front of Benedict’s story, which is third in the book series lineup.
In other words, Bridgerton Season 5 could follow Eloise’s story, but there’s also a slim chance it might not. Regardless, it is clear that Quinn’s post is open for interpretation, making the buzz among fans palpable.
What do you think about the social media tease? Let us know in the comments section, and stay tuned for the official word regarding Season 5’s leads in the months ahead.
Bridgerton, Season 4 Premiere, 2026, Netflix
