Simone Ashley confirmed she's returning for Season 4 of Bridgerton

Filming is underway for Season 4 of Bridgerton. The upcoming eight episodes will be adapted from the third book in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, An Offer from a Gentleman, and will unfold the love story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).

'The scripts that [showrunner] Jess [Brownell] and her team have come up with are dynamite. They're really, really, really exciting,' Thompson said. 

'The storyline is a bit of a twist on Cinderella. You remember being told those stories as a child — the magic and the romance of them. It's really exciting to have that weaved into the world that we know of Bridgerton.'

Sounds promising! Here's everything we know (so far) about the fourth season of everyone's favourite Netflix hit.

What is Bridgerton Season 4 about? 

It's Benedict Bridgerton's turn on the marriage market. Netflix confirmed, '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 Violet Bridgerton's (Ruth Gemmell) 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.'

Who are the new characters in Bridgerton Season 4? 

Aside from Sophie Baek, there will be three new characters spinning around the Bridgerton ballroom in Season 4.

The twice-married and twice-widowed Lady Araminta Gun, played by Katie Leung (best known as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter series), 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.'

Araminta's eldest daughter, Rosamund Li, will be played by Michelle Mao. 'Beautiful, vain, and eager to please her mother, Rosamund sets her sights on Benedict this social season,' the streamer revealed. 'And, just like her mother, she is determined to get what she wants.'

Rosamund's younger sister, Posy Li, will be played by Isabella Wei. She is also debuting this year, but Araminta rarely puts the spotlight on her second child. 'Posy's chatty, overly friendly demeanour often has her putting her foot in her mouth.'

Which cast members will return in Bridgerton Season 4? 

Just last month, Netflix announced Season 3 leads Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton) and Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Bridgerton) would reprise their roles, as well as Season 2 star Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton), and most members of the Bridgerton family: Ruth Gemmell (Violet), Claudia Jessie (Eloise), Hannah Dodd (Francesca), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth) and Will Tilston (Gregory).

After initially being excluded from the Season 4 cast list, it was unclear whether fan favourite Simone Ashley (Kate Bridgerton) would return, but the actress just confirmed in an interview with Glamour she will be back.

'I know that I am returning,' she said, 'but that’s all I can say. I absolutely adore the show, and the more I can be a part of it, the better. They've been really kind to work around my schedule.'

Season 3 newcomers Victor Alli, who plays Francesca Bridgerton's husband John Stirling, and Masali Baduza (John's cousin Michaela), have officially joined the Season 4 cast.

Other familiar faces that will return include Polly Walker as Portia Featherington, Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. Varley, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury and Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte. 

The streamer also confirmed Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich), Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich) and Hugh Sachs (Brimsley) will be part of the main cast. And once again, Julie Andrews will lend her voice to Lady Whistledown.

When will Bridgerton Season 4 be released? 

Speaking to THR, showrunner Jess Brownell said: 'We are working to try and put the seasons out more quickly, but they do take eight months to film and then they have to be edited, and then they have to be dubbed into every language.

'The writing takes a very long time as well, so we're kind of on a two-year pace, we're trying to speed up, but somewhere in that range.'

Based on that timeline, the new season of Bridgerton could be released in early 2026. We'll keep you updated as soon as we hear more.