Netflix dropped the news on March 24, 2026, and the internet has not stopped buzzing. Season 5 of Bridgerton is officially in production, and it will center on Francesca Bridgerton and Michaela Stirling as the main couple. That means the show’s first lead sapphic romance.
Hannah Dodd returns as the quiet Bridgerton sister, and Masali Baduza plays Michaela, the cousin of Francesca’s late husband, John. The pair already shared some charged moments at the end of Season 4, but now their story takes the spotlight.
The twist hits hard for book readers. In Julia Quinn’s novel When He Was Wicked, Francesca falls for Michael Stirling, a man. The show swapped the character’s gender years ago, and fans knew a change was coming.
Still, the full confirmation has sparked a loud divide online. Some call the move fresh and exciting. Others label it “forced and awkward” and question why the story had to become a gay one at all.
Netflix Makes It Official for Francesca and Michaela
The streamer posted a teaser and confirmed filming is underway outside London. Showrunner Jess Brownell has described the season as one full of yearning.
Francesca, still grieving John two years after his death, finds herself drawn to Michaela in a way that feels new and intense. Brownell says the goal is a happy ending in true Bridgerton style, with no focus on trauma or struggle.
Actress Hannah Dodd told Netflix she is glad the series can finally show a queer love story that has often been left out of period dramas. “Queer people did exist, have always existed, and will always exist,” she said. The couple even has an official ship name now: Franchaela.
Book Fans Say the Swap Feels Forced
Plenty of longtime readers are not happy. On X, one popular post laid out the frustration clearly. The user wrote that Francesca’s book romance with Michael gave her a second chance at love, marriage, and children.
Turning Michael into Michaela changes the entire arc, they argued, and the ton’s reaction to a same-sex match would not match the easy acceptance the show sometimes shows. “I’m all up for inclusive tv, but stop messing with the main characters’ original storylines,” the post said. It racked up thousands of likes and replies in hours.
Another fan posted that the book When He Was Wicked was their favorite and they felt “gutted” by the gender swap after waiting so long to see it on screen. A third called the choice “forced and deflated,” saying it rehashes old tropes without adding anything new.
These fans insist their issue is not with queer stories in general. They point to Benedict’s bisexual moments in earlier seasons and say they accepted those.
This time, they argue, the change rewrites too much of Francesca’s specific journey, including her hopes for family in the Regency world.
Showrunner Jess Brownell Calls Out the Backlash
Brownell did not stay quiet. In interviews tied to the announcement, she addressed the criticism directly. “There is no place for homophobia or racism or any form of bigotry in the Bridgerton world,” she said. “Bridgerton is about love and inclusivity.”
She explained that she related to Francesca’s book feelings of being “different” as a queer woman herself. The gender swap lets the show explore that without turning the season into a story about pain.
Instead, it will deliver the longing, the stolen glances, and the grand romance fans expect. Author Julia Quinn gave her blessing after long talks to keep the emotional heart of the book intact.
Filming is just getting started, so details on exactly how the story will play out remain under wraps. No premiere date has been set, but the pattern suggests fans might wait until 2027 or 2028.
The split reactions show how personal these characters have become. For some, the books are sacred. For others, the show has always been about expanding who gets a fairy tale. As cameras roll on Season 5, the ton is watching, and the debate is far from over.
What do you think?