Bridgerton is officially back on the calendar. Netflix has set a two-part winter launch for Bridgerton season 4, with Part 1 arriving on January 29, 2026, and Part 2 closing out on February 26, 2026. The new chapter places Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) at the center, and the first-look teaser frames their masked-ball meet-cute as the ton’s next grand obsession.

The release plan mirrors the show’s most recent cadence: eight total episodes split into two drops. Netflix describes it as a two-part debut with four episodes on each date, a structure designed to let the romance breathe and build. The campaign rolled out the same morning as the teaser, confirming the January–February dates and the returning focus on Shondaland’s lavish Regency world.

The teaser itself leans into the fairy-tale energy of Benedict and Sophie’s romance. In the clip, Benedict, in a black mask, descends a winding staircase as Sophie—the Lady in Silver—glides up in a silver gown, long white gloves, and a bejeweled mask. They brush hands, the camera lingers, and a fallen glove hints at fate. Over it all, Julie Andrews’ Lady Whistledown purrs: “With each passing season, one is known to experience plenty of ups and downs.” She adds, “Do we rise to the occasion?” before promising that “as always, time and this author will tell.”

Release schedule & where to watch

  • Bridgerton season 4 premiere date announced by Netflix: Part 1 on Jan. 29, 2026; Part 2 on Feb. 26, 2026.
  • Total episodes: Eight (split four and four).
  • Platform: Netflix (global).

The two-date rollout gives viewers a month to savor Benedict and Sophie’s journey and the inevitable Whistledown reveals that follow. The winter timing also positions the show as a marquee early-year title for Netflix in 2026.

Cast & creators: every confirmed name from the announcement

Season 4’s romance centers on Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton and Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek. The core Bridgerton and Featherington circles return: Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton), Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton), and Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton). The family expands around Francesca’s storyline with Hannah Dodd (Francesca Bridgerton) and Victor Alli (John Stirling). New players linked to Sophie include Katie Leung (Lady Araminta Gun), Michelle Mao (Rosamund Li), and Isabella Wei (Posy Li). Narration continues with Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown. Showrunning duties remain with Jess Brownell for Shondaland.

Related: What to Watch If You Love Bridgerton: 10 Similar TV Shows to Stream Now

Brownell has teased that while Sophie nods to the Cinderella archetype, she is far from helpless: “She is no damsel in distress… [She’s] always thinking two, three steps ahead,” a dynamic meant to “throw Benedict for a loop.” Thompson frames the season’s tension this way: “It’s the struggle between a proper old school fairytale… and the actual reality of the world,” adding that “in its best version, ‘true love’ happens in the middle of that.”

Story foundations & book alignment

Netflix positions the season as drawing from Julia Quinn’s third Bridgerton novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, with its masquerade, lost-item clue, and star-crossed social gulf between leads. The visual language of the teaser—silver gowns, masked glances, and a glove on the floor—tracks closely with that inspiration.

Expect the production to balance fantasy and reality. The dance-floor fairy tale collides with rank, duty, and family expectations. That push and pull is the very friction Thompson previewed, and it maps to Quinn’s source material while leaving room for Shondaland twists.

The teaser’s key beats

  • The staircase crossing: Benedict and Sophie pass in opposite directions, hands brushing as the music swells.
  • The ballroom reveal: The pair re-lock eyes amid a crowded masquerade, signaling a magnetism neither can ignore.
  • The glove: A silver glove on the floor nods to the season’s fairy-tale breadcrumb.
  • Whistledown’s warning: “Do we rise to the occasion?” hangs over the montage like a dare.

Who’s who in Season 4 (complete list from the announcement)

  • Benedict Bridgerton — Luke Thompson
  • Sophie Baek — Yerin Ha
  • Penelope Featherington — Nicola Coughlan
  • Eloise Bridgerton — Claudia Jessie
  • Anthony Bridgerton — Jonathan Bailey
  • Colin Bridgerton — Luke Newton
  • Francesca Bridgerton — Hannah Dodd
  • John Stirling — Victor Alli
  • Lady Araminta Gun — Katie Leung
  • Rosamund Li — Michelle Mao
  • Posy Li — Isabella Wei
  • Lady Whistledown (voice) — Julie Andrews
  • Showrunner — Jess Brownell

These names reflect the onscreen lineup and creative hand guiding Season 4 as presented in the official reveal and first-look coverage.

What the two-part plan signals

Staggering the drop across January 29, 2026, and February 26, 2026, invites a month of conversation—and a natural mid-season cliff. It’s the same structure that helped Season 3 sustain momentum, with weekly discourse orbiting Whistledown theories and relationship endgames. Expect a similar rhythm, especially with Whistledown promising fresh “ups and downs.”

Why this pairing, and why now?

Brownell has long signaled that Benedict’s artistic restlessness made him ripe for a season lead once his siblings’ arcs reset the chessboard. Enter Sophie. Her strategic mind—“two, three steps ahead”—functions as both romantic foil and catalyst for growth. Thompson’s “romance vs. reality” framing suggests a season that can indulge fantasy while interrogating class and agency—core Bridgerton themes.

The bottom line

Bridgerton returns in a two-part winter event—Jan. 29, 2026, and Feb. 26, 2026—with Benedict & Sophie leading a story inspired by An Offer from a Gentleman. The teaser’s masked ball, the silver glove, and Whistledown’s challenge set the tone. Fans have dates, a couple to root for, and eight episodes to unmask what true love looks like in the ton.

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