Netflix Renews 'Bridgerton' for Seasons 3 and 4

Prepare yourselves for more elegant balls, promenades in the park, and titillating gossip because everyone's favorite new Netflix series Bridgerton has officially been renewed for Seasons 3 and 4, said the show's Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes in an interview with Vanity Fair.

In January, Bridgerton was named the most viewed series of all time by the streaming service. In its first 28 days of release, the Regency drama was seen by 82 million families, far exceeding Netflix's forecasted 63 million. The same month, the company announced that the romance, drama, and decadent costumes would continue for a second season, which is set to start filming this week. “Bridgerton swept us off our feet," added Bela Bajaria, Head of Global TV at Netflix to the publication. She went on to say that the streaming giant expects "to be in the Bridgerton business for a long time to come." 

While the first season followed the love story between Daphne Bridgerton and the handsome Duke of Hastings, played by Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page, the hearts of fans around the globe were broken by the news that Page will not be part of the second season. Instead, the show will shift its focus to Daphne's older brother, Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, following the same progression as the novel series on which the show is based.

Page explained the reasons for his sudden exit by stating that from the beginning he was aware that his character would be at the heart of only one season, as subsequent seasons would follow the adventures of others members of the Bridgerton family. The actor further added: "It's been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be your Duke. Joining this family — not just on screen, but off screen too. Our incredibly creative and generous cast, crew, outstanding fans — it's all been beyond anything I could have imagined. The love is real and will just keep growing."

The news certainly saddens us, but fans can only hope to see Page make a cameo appearance in the newly confirmed third and fourth seasons. According to the show's source material, Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novel series, each of the upcoming three seasons is expected to follow the love stories of the three eldest Bridgerton brothers, Anthony, Benedict, and Colin, respectively.

“From the first time I read Julia Quinn's delightful Bridgerton story, I knew it would captivate audiences," said the show's Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes. "The renewal of the second season is a strong vote of confidence in our work and I feel incredibly grateful to have collaborative and creative partners like Netflix."