Bridgerton star Luke Thompson has addressed the backlash over a controversial moment in the show's fourth season, where his character Benedict asks Sophie to be his mistress. The scene, which left many fans fuming, is a faithful adaptation of Julia Quinn's novel An Offer From a Gentleman.
Speaking on ITV's This Morning, Thompson explained Benedict's intentions, saying the character is flawed and scared. 'It's his way of trying to be realistic,' Thompson said. 'He's someone who's in a dream world a lot of the time, but he fudges it. He's also scared – he's lost his dad and watched his mum mourn him.'
The fourth season follows Benedict's romance with servant Sophie Baek, played by Yerin Ha. After a masquerade ball, Benedict fails to recognise Sophie in her servant's uniform but falls for her again. He eventually secures her a job with his mother, Violet, leading to the mistress proposal that sparked viewer outrage.
Fans took to social media to express their dismay, with one writing: 'I had to stare at my ceiling for one good minute because how can you move from “you consume me” to “be my mistress”?' Another added: 'The way her face fell once he asked her breaks my heart.'
Thompson acknowledged the polarising reaction, stating: 'I think you'd have to be a vain actor to want to be liked all the time. Benedict is flawed.' The final four episodes of the season are now streaming on Netflix.
