The fourth season of Netflix's hit period drama Bridgerton has concluded with a major twist: Lady Whistledown, the anonymous gossip columnist voiced by Julie Andrews, has retired. Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), revealed as the writer in season three, announced her departure from the column during a ball for Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) in the season four finale. She intends to focus on new writing projects.
However, the ton will not be left without its beloved gossip. A new author has taken up Whistledown's pen, but their identity remains a mystery. Showrunner Jess Brownell confirmed to Tudum that this storyline is an original creation for the series, not found in Julia Quinn's novels. 'Penelope was Julia Quinn's Whistledown, so we knew we couldn't really play with that reveal for too long because people could just Google it. But now, we get to play with audience expectations,' Brownell explained.
Fans are speculating on potential candidates, including Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Hyacinth Bridgerton (Florence Hunt), or Queen Charlotte's new lady-in-waiting, Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi). The answer may not be revealed until the fifth season, or possibly later, as Brownell may extend the mystery.
In the original novels, Penelope's identity as Lady Whistledown is unveiled in book four, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which focuses on her romance with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). The Netflix series revealed her identity to viewers in season one, but kept it hidden from other characters for longer. The new Whistledown is a TV-only addition to keep audiences guessing.
