Bridgerton Season 5: Francesca's Same-Sex Romance

On March 24, Bridgerton fans have fresh news to celebrate with season 5 officially announced.

The next chapter centers on Francesca Bridgerton, played by Hannah Dodd and her new romance with Michaela,

Lord Kill Martin's cousin portrayed by Masali Badusa.

A teaser trailer dropped this week showing the pair sharing a tender hand touch, promising plenty of emotional sparks.

Francesca's story picks up two years after she loses her husband, John Sterling, the Earl of Kill Martin from season 3.

Once picked as the Queen's favorite debut time, she steps back into the marriage market for practical reasons.

But Michaela's arrival to manage the family estate stirs up unexpected feelings, pulling Francesca between duty and desire.

This marks the first time the show's central romance features the same sex couple, building on past queer storylines in subtler ways.

Hannah Dodd has highlighted how these love stories deserve space in period dramas, noting that queer people have always been part of history and should get their shot at passion just like anyone else.

In the original books, Francesca's love interest was male, named Michael, but showrunners swapped the gender to Michaela for this adaptation.

Fans have also connected with Francesca's reserve nature, seeing hints of neurodivergence in her knee for quiet and struggles with social norms, something the writers room discussed.

Production is underway now for the eight episode season, setting the stage for more Bridgerton drama to unfold.

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