Netflix Bridgerton season 4 release date and plot as show makes major announcement

Bridgerton buffs, get ready to swoon as the smash-hit Netflix series is set to return for a fourth season , with Benedict Bridgerton stepping up to the altar.

Netflix and Shondaland spilled the beans on Tuesday, July 23, revealing that season four will shine the spotlight on the artsy Benedict , the second in the line of the eight Bridgerton siblings, played by Luke Thompson.

Up until now, Benedict's been playing hard to get , shunning the idea of marriage even as his older and younger siblings have been snagging their perfect partners.

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But Netflix and Shondaland are promising that a certain enigmatic lady will come along and flip his world on its head.

They teased: "Benedict is loath to settle down -- until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother's masquerade ball." The burning question is: who is this mysterious woman?

At the helm of the eight-episode season is showrunner Jess Brownell, with Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica, and Chris Van Dusen pulling the strings as executive producers.

Lately, the Bridgerton fanbase has been buzzing with speculation that Benedict's romantic escapades would be front and centre in the fourth instalment, citing a subtle hint in the third season's second teaser as evidence of his forthcoming love tale.

Benedict was photographed moments before in bed with his new flame Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) in the trailer. However, book fans are well aware that Sophie, who is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood, ends up as Benedict's spouse and the mother to their four offspring in the printed series.

The Bridgerton family's second eldest brother is bound to have his own season, and fans are growing even more certain that it won't be too long before he encounters Sophie and develops feelings for her.

Numerous avid Bridgerton followers flocked to Reddit to express their viewpoints, with one writing: "Is that Sophie? " In response, another posted: "I literally rushed here to say this THIS SHOT plus the clock striking midnight in the trailer? I feel like we're getting hints for Benedict's story."

Another Reddit user described the speculation as unbearable, saying: "I can't believe they're teasing with that image... the outrage/excitement that'll follow in the next two weeks is going to be unbearable."

However, viewers were left gripping their seats when the Netflix series seemed to miss out on the third book - An Offer from a Gentleman, which narrates Benedict and Sophie's romantic journey. What does the future hold for the audience?

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