Bridgerton has officially revealed whose love story is up next. After a lot of speculation about which sibling would take the spotlight in Season 5, Netflix has now confirmed that the next chapter will center on one of the more unlikely pairings in the show. For those unaware, each season of the period romance sensation focuses on a different member of the Bridgerton family and spends time with them as they navigate love, life, loss and everything else that comes with it. But this time it’s a little different.

Season 5 will officially focus on Hannah Dodd’s Francesca Stirling and Masali Baduza’s Michaela Stirling. With Season 4 having just concluded and the franchise still one of Netflix’s biggest global hits, the streamer is clearly not slowing down any time soon. Netflix’s official logline for Season 5 reads in full:

“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.”

How Good Is Bridgerton?

Collider’s review by Carly Lane stated that Bridgerton Season 4 proves the Netflix hit is far more than just a cultural phenomenon, evolving its familiar formula into something fresher, more expansive, and emotionally grounded while still delivering the escapist romance fans expect. Even as the series continues to dominate as a brand beyond the screen, the arrival of a new season — and a new central love story — remains its biggest draw.

There’s also a welcome focus on several other couples in addition to the season’s main pair; Francesca and John, for instance, represent a different lens into intimacy after marriage, while Violet’s decision to take her relationship with Marcus to the next level throws a more mature romance into the mix. Still, with the show’s ensemble only growing every season, some characters have been pushed into the background with little to no development of their own, which might signal that it’s either time for them to formally exit or adopt a more significant role in the overall story.

Bridgerton Season 5 is in production now. The first four seasons are on Netflix.

via Collider