Part 1 brings to life the masquerade ball where this season’s love story blossoms.

By Tara Bitran and Ariana Romero
Jan. 28, 2026

We needn’t turn to Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers for the lowdown on Bridgerton Season 4 — read everything you need to know about the new season, which debuts in two parts on Jan. 29 and Feb. 26, right here.

Season 4 follows the titular clan’s second-eldest sibling, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). That’s right: The character who once looked on dreamily from the corner of the ballroom is now ready for his own Bridgerton love story. Benedict meets his captivating romantic interest at his mother Violet’s (Ruth Gemmell) masquerade ball in the first episode of the new season. The thrilling clip at the top of the page captures the moment Benedict first spots a mysterious Lady in Silver — unbeknownst to him, her name is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). To see even more of Benedict and Sophie, watch the trailer here.

“This season is a very different trajectory,” showrunner Jess Brownell says. “Benedict lives in a fantasy world. Sophie lives in a hard reality. You have two characters who are at opposite ends of a pole, and rather than either of them needing to get all the way to the other side, they both need to travel to the middle. Between fantasy and reality, true love lies in the middle — neither one creates the circumstances for romance to bloom. You have to embrace a little bit of both.”

Keep scrolling, dear readers, for more juicy talk of the ton, a sneak-peek featurette, and still more first-look images of cast members from the highly anticipated Season 4 of Bridgerton.

Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in Bridgerton Season 4.

PHOTO BY LIAM DANIEL

Who is Bridgerton Season 4 about?

Season 4 turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict. Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down. That is, until an enthralling woman captures Benedict’s attention at the masquerade ball. While Benedict knows his love interest as only the Lady in Silver, she’s actually Sophie, a resourceful maid with her own secrets and dreams.

With the reluctant help of his sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Benedict sets out in society to uncover the young lady’s identity. But in fact, his heart’s desire is not in society at all — she is a resourceful maid named Sophie, working for the formidable Lady of the house, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung).

When fate brings Benedict and Sophie back together, Benedict wrestles between the reality of his affection for this intriguing maid and the fantasy of the Lady in Silver — unaware that they are the same person. Will Benedict’s inability to see these women as one and the same derail the undeniable spark between him and Sophie? And can love truly conquer anything?

Thompson can’t wait for fans to enjoy the fairy tale–inspired story. “You remember being told those stories as a child — the magic and the romance of them. It’s really exciting to have that woven into the world that we know of Bridgerton,” the actor says. “It’s such a great story, but it’s also, I hope, really relatable.”

One person already feels a deep connection to Bridgerton Season 4: Ha. While auditioning, she immediately enjoyed the “fun, play-like quality” she saw in the scripts. “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome,” Ha says. “Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”

Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek in Bridgerton Season 4.

PHOTO BY LIAM DANIEL

What is Bridgerton Season 4 based on?

The upcoming episodes are inspired by the third book in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, An Offer from a Gentleman. “It’s always really nice to get inside the author’s head to see how they pictured a certain character or events that trigger certain emotions,” says Ha. “In the book, Sophie has a sassy-ness to her, but there’s also a vulnerable side and a fragility. I tried hard to bring that into the series.”

“Sophie in Season 4 is very similar to the Sophie in Julia Quinn’s book,” says Brownell. “Sophie is not a normal damsel in distress in the book, nor is she in our season. She’s resourceful and resilient. She’s a chess player, she’s a survivalist. Sometimes that works against her because it’s hard to get out of survival mode and allow herself to embrace love or playfulness or lightness or joy. Fortunately, those are things Benedict Bridgerton is very good at.”

Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in Bridgerton Season 4.
PHOTO BY LIAM DANIEL

How did Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha build the show’s central relationship?

“What’s striking about Season 4,” Thompson tells Tudum, “is that it’s the struggle between a proper old-school fairy tale — the romance of it — and the actual reality of the world.” Season 4 pulls back the curtain of the over-the-top households of the ton, and introduces some of the people who keep these aristocratic clans running. “Both are true,” Thompson continues. “You have to hold both of them — the romance and the reality — in your hand. In its best version, ‘true love’ happens in the middle of that.”

Series newcomer Ha has enjoyed the “playful, freeing, therapeutic” feeling of preparing for filming alongside Thompson. The pair first met during a dinner at showrunner Brownell’s home. “I remember Luke stood there with arms wide open, just ready for an embrace,” Ha tells Tudum. “That was the moment I was like, ‘Ah, OK, I don’t need to stress about these little things now. I can just genuinely focus on the on-screen connection with him.’ ”

Sometimes building Benedict and Sophie’s romance involves what Ha describes as “special and very vulnerable” rehearsals. Other times, it extends to dance training that “feels like a part of the characters’ journey,” Thompson says. Especially because, as he explains, “I get really excited by how many unexpected twists you’ll get in Season 4. ”

Who are the new characters in Bridgerton Season 4?

As with previous seasons, we can expect to see some new characters spinning around the Bridgerton ballroom.

They are:

Lady Araminta Gun, played by Katie Leung. Twice-married and twice-widowed, Araminta has two daughters debuting on the marriage mart this season and she’s feeling the pressure to get at least one of her girls married off. Fabulous, discerning, and blunt, Araminta does not respond well when anything — or anyone — threatens her standing in society.
Rosamund Li, played by Michelle Mao. Beautiful, vain, and eager to please her mother, Rosamund is Araminta’s eldest daughter and most prized possession. Rosamund sets her sights on Benedict this social season. And, just like her mother, Rosamund is determined to get what she wants.
Posy Li, played by Isabella Wei. Rosamund’s younger, kinder sister is also debuting this year. But Araminta rarely puts the spotlight on her second child. Posy’s chatty, overly friendly demeanor often has her putting her foot in her mouth.

“While Rosamund has become her mother’s mini-me — a marriage mart pro chess player — Posy is dreamy and often unserious, much to her mother’s disapproval,” says showrunner Brownell. “Araminta and Rosamund are so focused on their own goals that, frankly, the Bridgertons don’t register much for them at first, beyond the fact that Benedict proves to be quite the catch this season.”

And, although they aren’t new arrivals in Mayfair, you can expect to see more of two beloved Bridgerton characters. Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich) and Hugh Sachs (Brimsley) will both be part of Season 4’s main cast.

Isabella Wei as Posy Li, Katie Leung as Lady Araminta Gun, and Michelle Mao as Rosamund Li in Bridgerton Season 4.

PHOTO BY LIAM DANIEL

Who else is in the Bridgerton Season 4 cast?

A few well-known faces will return — joined by some brand-new ones from the ton and beyond. The Bridgerton Season 4 cast is:

Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek
Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton
Simone Ashley as Kate Bridgerton
Victor Alli as John Stirling
Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury)
Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown
Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. Varley
Masali Baduza as Michaela Stirling
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton
Hannah Dodd as Francesca Stirling
Daniel Francis as Lord Marcus Anderson
Ruth Gemmell as Violet Bridgerton
Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton
Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich
Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
Katie Leung as Lady Araminta Gun
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
Michelle Mao as Rosamund Li
Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
Hugh Sachs as Brimsley
Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton
Polly Walker as Portia Featherington
Isabella Wei as Posy Li