Bridgerton season four, part two has finally arrived, and with it comes a devastating twist for fans. The new episodes, released after a month-long wait following Netflix's decision to split the series, continue the romance between Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). However, the season takes a sombre turn with the death of John Kilmartin (Victor Alli).
John's fate is foreshadowed when he confides in his wife Francesca (Hannah Dodd) about suffering from headaches and stress due to his parliamentary work. He dies after experiencing another headache and retiring early; Francesca discovers him the following morning, devastated. This storyline mirrors Julia Quinn's novel When He Was Wicked (2004), where John succumbs to a ruptured cerebral aneurysm at age 26, just two years into their marriage.
While the book focuses on Francesca's grief, the series explores the impact on the entire Bridgerton family. Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) is reminded of her late husband Edmund, and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) questions pursuing love after such tragedy. John's death also prompts Benedict to sacrifice everything for Sophie, realising life is too short to let go of love.
Author Julia Quinn hinted at the emotional toll, telling Us Weekly: 'Get your tissues ready, because it's rough.' She added that visiting the set revealed scenes 'incredibly joyful and just heart-wrenching.' Fans have expressed their grief online, with one commenting on Alli's Instagram: 'Victor we love John, please take a paracetamol if you have a headache.'
