Queer Arts & Entertainment, News for Queer Women

‘Bridgerton’ Season Five Will Center Sapphic Love

March 24, 2026

Netflix announced that Season Five of their hit period drama Bridgerton will follow Francesca and Michaela’s love story.

Featured Image by Zoe McConnell via Netflix

Rejoice, dearest readers! The sapphics are coming to the ton, the Bridgerton that is. Netflix has officially announced that Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza will lead the fifth season of the hit period drama. And good news, it’s already in production!

The streaming service released a first-look teaser for the upcoming season, and it’s already got everything: gay staring, classic hands brushing, and sweeping violins.

Netflix described the plot for season five, stating, “The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca (Hannah Dodd). Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons. But when John’s cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.”

For those familiar with the character’s book, When He Was Wicked, this storyline is a departure from the original plot. Queer show runner Jess Brownell said, “It never felt right to not be inclusive of queer love” in a show that allows people to “imagine themselves in these fantastical roles.” So, instead of Francesca falling for her departed husband’s cousin Michael, as in the book, she will continue to fall for her departed husband’s cousin Michaela.

But don’t fret, this season will not be focused on a period classic hidden-love trope. Rather, “it is going to be a season about queer joy. It is not going to be a season about queer trauma,” Brownell said.

“If there’s anything really specific about this season, it is the yearning. It’s big-time 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…You know, the gay panic.” Folks, she just gets it!

Stars Baduza and Dodd share in the excitement for this new queer storyline. “[Those love stories] have traditionally been excluded from things like period dramas — and queer people did exist, have always existed, and will always exist,” Dodd said. “So they deserve a love story just like everybody else.”

Baduza is excited to explore the softer side of Michaela, saying, “She’s used to having all these walls up. I’m excited to tear down those walls and have her let Francesca in. I’m excited for people to see her wanted so deeply and so badly … I’m excited for people to see Michaela yearn for Francesca.”

While many straight Bridgerton fans are disappointed by the change, some even swearing to boycott the season, queer fans can’t help but celebrate their first WLW representation in the fictional world. In fact, sapphics have been yearning for the Franchaela season ever since season three featured a split second of gay panic passed between the two characters. TikTok editors have used and abused the scene of the two characters meeting until season four gave them a few more scenes to choose from. Well, editors, buckle up. There is a big sapphic storm coming.

@sapphicfrancesca yall can cry all u want but i have never felt represented until s3 frannie so thank u bridgerton🤍 | #strnger1985 #bridgerton #michaelasterling #franchaela #francescabridgerton #bridgertons3 #bridgertonseason3 #johnsterling – @i.⸆⸉🍉 @𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙖౨ৎ @𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒂 ᥫ᭡ @𝒍𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒂 ❦ @sami ✿ @𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐓 @𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗲 ౨ৎ @Edd @rachel ♡ @Jill Bridgerton 🐝 @𝙘𝙖𝙞𝙩❦ @𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒␈ @𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀིྀི @GABBY™ @gita🐣⸆⸉ @ʀᴇʏᴀ™ 🍉 @⋆˚࿔ 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ @RAYA™ @taylor ✿ @📖🫧 @love bug💚✨ @isabell @𝓫🐝 @ashley&lt3 @aya @lizzy ❦ @🎀 @m🐝 ♬ original sound – Kit 𓏲ּ𝄢


Edit makers and queer fans alike can also celebrate the fact that this season, queer songs will be getting the signature Bridgerton violin makeover. “I’ve been thinking a lot about different out, queer artists whose songs we can interpret for Bridgerton. Letting queer artists be the musical backdrop to a queer love story is going to be a really exciting feature of the season,” show runner Brownell said. Chappell Roan, come get your bag!

Can you believe it? A sapphic production with a big budget, a queer leader, and a cast that just gets it? Y’all, we’ve earned this.

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