The spotlight of the Ton is about to shift, as Netflix's beloved period drama Bridgerton prepares for its highly anticipated fourth season, with a new romantic lead and a fresh, intimate setting set to raise temperatures.
A Country Escape for Benedict's Romance
After watching his older and younger brothers find their matches, the focus now turns to the second eldest Bridgerton sibling, Benedict, played by Luke Thompson. His long-awaited love story with the resourceful housemaid Sophie, portrayed by Yerin Ha, will form the heart of the new season. A pivotal part of their courtship, familiar to fans of Julia Quinn's novels, unfolds at My Cottage, Benedict's private country estate which has not been seen in the series until now.
Thompson confirmed the importance of this location, telling Tudum: "It's one of those sequences in the novel that I feel is so closely followed and replicated in the series." The crucial scenes were filmed over two weeks at Loseley Park in England, with only the characters' housekeepers, Mr and Mrs Crabtree (Billy Boyle and Susan Brown), for company.
'Magical' and 'Freezing' Filming Creates On-Screen Heat
Describing the experience, Thompson called it "magical," noting that it was a key period for him and Ha to build their on-screen chemistry. "[Yerin and I] were just getting to know each other as actors as well as the characters," he shared. The season's trailer has already teased a memorable moment where Sophie attempts to avert her gaze as Benedict emerges from a lake on the estate.
While the result promises to be sizzling, the actors revealed the reality behind the shot was somewhat chillier. Thompson joked that "the lake was freezing," a sentiment that co-star Yerin Ha acknowledged before promising: "the result of [the scene] is steamy." Showrunner Jess Brownell enthusiastically agreed, stating: "I hope people are feeling a little sweaty, like they might need to go for a swim and cool down. Even though that lake was cold, it gets hot!"
The Importance of Privacy for a Spark to Ignite
Executive producer Tom Verica stressed the narrative significance of moving the action away from the bustling social scene of London. The seclusion of the cottage allows Benedict and Sophie's relationship to develop without the distractions of the Ton. "That's the thing, when you get down to just two people without all the pomp and circumstance... [it's about] how they're coping, dealing with one another, and having to navigate that spark they have," Verica explained.
The season will follow Benedict, who remains resistant to settling down, until a fateful encounter at his mother Violet's (Ruth Gemmell) masquerade ball. There, he meets a mysterious Lady in Silver, unaware that she is in fact Sophie, a maid with her own profound secrets and aspirations. Their journey from that masked meeting to the privacy of the countryside will drive the new season's plot.
Bridgerton season four premieres globally on Netflix on Thursday, 29 January 2026.
