See Francesca and Michaela Step into Bridgerton Season 5 as the Lead Couple

Love will begin again in Bridgerton Season 5. The upcoming episodes, now in production outside London, are led by Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza as Lady Francesca Stirling and Michaela Stirling. Get a taste of the swoons ahead with the video above.

“[We’re] super grateful and excited!” Baduza tells Tudum. Dodd agrees, saying, “When you spend so much time with a character, you genuinely do want them to be happy. So I am really looking forward to [Francesca] feeling like she deserves love.”

The last time viewers saw Season 5’s starring couple, they were rocked by the death of the person they both loved. Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli)’s death in Season 4 left Francesca widowed and Michaela without her closest relative and confidant. Season 5, which picks up two years later, will usher both women into a new chapter of love and hope; it will also feature Bridgerton’s first same-gender central love story.

“It feels groundbreaking. Obviously, there are a lot of great shows that have depicted queer love. We’re not the first by any means,” series showrunner Jess Brownell says. “But to make an entire Bridgerton season about a sapphic relationship feels huge.”

Dodd and Baduza are excited to lead this historic season of Bridgerton. “[Queer love stories] have traditionally been excluded from things like period dramas — and queer people did exist, have always existed, and will always exist,” Dodd says. Baduza adds, “It’s been really special to have Jess guide us on this journey, because she’s very excited about this story. What we really want to achieve is giving a realistic view of queer love onscreen and [giving them] a happily ever after.”

Brownell promises fans can expect Bridgerton’s signature mix of romance, humor, and pathos as Francesca and Michaela’s journey unfolds, inspired by Julia Quinn’s novel When He Was Wicked. “If there’s anything really specific about this season, it is the yearning. It’s big-time yearning,” she says. “It’s going to be a season about queer joy. It is not going to be a season about queer trauma. … We’re having so much fun!”

Prepare for the adventure ahead as Dodd, Baduza, and Brownell reveal even more about Bridgerton Season 5, from the plot and some cast secrets to the inside scoop on the costumes.

Who is Bridgerton Season 5 about?

The new season of Bridgerton will follow the romance between Michaela and the widowed Lady Francesca. “I’ve said from the beginning that this show, in so many ways, is about allowing people to see themselves represented, allowing themselves to dream, and imagine themselves in these fantastical roles,” Brownell says. “It never felt right to not be inclusive of queer love as well within that fantasy.”

Season 5 will pick up after Francesca and Michaela have both had time to process the death of John, whom they both loved dearly. “They grieve very differently,” Dodd says. “I don’t think grieving is something that you get over. John’s going to be with Fran, and the impact of John will be with Fran forever.” Baduza agrees that Michaela feels the same about the loss of her beloved cousin. However, new love will allow both women to find some healing.

“[Michaela] is used to having all these walls up. I’m excited to tear down those walls and have her let Francesca in,” Baduza says. “I’m excited for people to see Michaela yearn for Francesca.”

“Francesca yearns too, to be fair!” Dodd adds.

Keep reading here for an even deeper look into Season 5 from Dodd and Baduza.

What is the plot of Bridgerton Season 5?

The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca. Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Francesca decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons. But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Francesca’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.

“We are still always grounding our love stories in the fact that this series is about joy,” Bronwell says. “And more than ever, Season 5 is going to be about yearning … Those of us who know what it’s like to be in a sapphic relationship or have a sapphic crush understand that’s so baked into the experience.”

Who’s in the cast of Bridgerton Season 5?

Dodd and Baduza will lead the cast of Bridgerton Season 5, and they’re bringing their real-life friendship onto the set. The duo has been leaning on that bond as they embark on their starring season.

“Hannah, for me, from the beginning, has always been such a supportive rock,” Baduza, who joined Bridgerton in the final moments of Season 3, says. “Honestly, from the very first moment I met [her], I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this girl and I are going to become real close,’ because I feel like we’re quite similar. … And it’s so much fun to go to work with a friend.”

Communication has proven key for the co-stars. “[It’s like], ‘What do you need? What do I need? How do we actually show up for each other as friends but also as work colleagues?’ ” Dodd says. And, Baduza adds, “Hannah’s always like, ‘How are you feeling? How’s your heart?’ ”

Who are Francesca and Michaela?

• Francesca Stirling (Dodd) is the Countess of Kilmartin. Reserved and contained, Francesca has long felt out of place in the world. As Michaela stirs up new feelings inside her, Fran will make discoveries about herself that could change everything.
• Michaela Stirling (Baduza) is a key member of the Stirling family. Beneath Michaela’s charming and vivacious exterior hides a vulnerable young woman who is quick to run the second she feels discomfort. But this season, Michaela must face her vulnerability head-on as she’s forced to navigate her relationship to her late cousin’s legacy — and to Francesca.

Where does Bridgerton Season 5 film?

The series is shooting outside of London. As Dodd and Baduza get into the swing of production, they’ve learned a lot about their characters through costume fittings. “The costume department [is] doing a lot of storytelling,” Dodd reveals. “You’re going to even get to see Michaela in another light through her costuming.”

Coincidentally, style is one of Baduza’s favorite elements of getting to know her character. “Because I feel like you get to visualize what the character would wake up every day and wear,” the actor says. “And I think that tells you a lot about her. And yeah, Michaela’s got a lot of ball gowns that she has to wear this season, and they’re beautiful.”

What music can I expect in Bridgerton Season 5?

Music is also shaping the tone of Season 5. Even before filming began, Brownell was already thinking about how the soundtrack could reflect the story’s themes. “I’ve been thinking a lot about different out, queer artists whose songs we can interpret for Bridgerton,” she says. “Letting queer artists be the musical backdrop to a queer love story is going to be a really exciting feature of the season.”

Dodd and Baduza already have a few ideas about what they would like to hear in Season 5. “Chappell Roan, ‘Good Luck, Babe!,’ ” Baduza says confidently.

And Dodd is ready with a playlist of her own. As she prepares, the actor has been listening to “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls (“[It’s] Francesca’s song. The lyrics are perfect, perfect, perfect,” she says), “Francesca” by Hozier, and various songs by Olivia Dean. Baduza has also been drawn to British singer-songwriter Sasha Keable. “Jess is going to be sent the playlist!,” Dodd explains.

What happens to the Bridgertons before Season 5?

The Season 4 finale leaves each member of the Bridgerton family on the precipice of something ahead of Season 5:

The Bridgerton family matriarch finally serves some tea of her own in Season 4. Violet (Ruth Gemmell) pursues a relationship with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) and even accepts his proposal. However, she realizes she cannot marry just yet and instead chooses to commit to her own journey.

The viscount and viscountess introduce the family to their beautiful baby boy, Edmund, named after his late Bridgerton grandfather. The heir to the family has officially arrived. Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) also support Benedict at his beautiful wedding at My Cottage.

The happy couple marries at their country estate, overcoming obstacles ranging from class differences to scheming stepmothers and fake shoe clips. Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha)’s wedding unites aristocrats like the Bridgertons and Sophie’s working-class found family for one beautiful event. And, as Sophie’s portrait in My Cottage confirms, the artistic Benedict is painting again.

Penelope ends her society column and is now working on fiction. Colin, also an author, is more than happy to support his wife. The couple is raising their baby, Elliot, the next head of the Featherington family. Oh, and don’t forget Colin’s regular foodie lunches with his Featherington brothers-in-law.

In the wake of John’s death, Eloise (Claudia Jessie) realizes cynicism may not always be the answer. She encourages Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) not to abandon her starry-eyed dreams and urges Posy Li (Isabella Wei), Sophie’s stepsister, to follow her heart on the marriage mart. This is a positive development for Eloise, who begins to notice that her nearest and dearest have coupled up.

The third Bridgerton daughter — and Season 5 lead — suffers the greatest tragedy of her life when her beloved husband, John, suddenly dies. Francesca begins to grieve: for her marriage, for the pregnancy she did not have, and for the future that has now vanished. Still, Francesca attends Benedict and Sophie’s wedding as a widow, thankful for the “great love” she and John shared. After a time jump in Season 5, she’ll explore a new romantic connection with Michaela.

Dodd is looking forward to seeing Francesca once again open herself to love, and joy, in Season 5. “At the [end of Season 4, Francesca] is in such a devastating position.” she says. “I’m really excited for her to experience feeling loved … and feeling enough within herself as well.”

Brownell reveals the series will also continue to handle Francesca’s infertility journey delicately. “It’s something we took a lot of care with in Season 4, Francesca’s fears about infertility. Questions about how to conceive are a major part of queer women’s stories,” she says. “A fertility story lends itself really well to a sapphic love story. It’s absolutely going to be a part of Francesca and Michaela’s story.”

The youngest Bridgerton boy is starting to learn about matters of the heart. At least Gregory (Will Tilston) has his older brothers — and the Featherington brothers-in-law dining club — to lean on.

The youngest Bridgerton sister is devastated by the death of her brother-in-law John. Hyacinth questions whether she really wants to debut into society — or find a husband at all — if tragedy is bound to strike. Eloise, of all people, revives Hyacinth’s romantic notions. But now they are tempered by Hyacinth’s determination to know herself before she knows love.

Is there any more Bridgerton on the way?

Yes, at the same time Bridgerton Season 5 was confirmed, so was Season 6.

How can I learn more about Bridgerton Seasons 5 and 6?

By returning to Tudum, of course. As you await Francesca and Michaela’s Bridgerton love story, keep coming back here for all the Mayfair news that’s fit to print.