Summary
The return of onecouple forBridgertonseason 4 is teased by showrunner Jess Brownell.Bridgertonseason 3 recently wrapped up its run on Netflix, where it was met with positive reviews and high viewership numbers on the Netflix charts. TheBridgertonseason 3 endingleaves a lot of questions still to be answered, which the show will luckily have the opportunity to do in the already-slatedBridgertonseason 4.
Speaking withVariety, Brownell addresses whether Kate and Anthony will return forBridgertonseason 4. According to the creative, the return of the couple is far from certain as it will “be dependent on a lot of factors.” Saidfactors include how much story time the “main couples” take up inBridgertonseason 4, and thus whether there will physically be enough run time to cover Kate and Anthony. Furthermore, Brownell reflected on the difficulty of stepping down to smaller roles when they may have other opportunities. Check out the full quote from Brownell below:
I mean, we absolutely hope to see more of them. But it’ll be dependent on a lot of factors. It’ll be dependent on how much story the main couples take up, and whether there is story room. It will be dependent on whether the actors are available. As you can imagine, when you have an actor step into a lead role on the show and really lead the main story, it’s difficult to ask them to give up a lot of exciting opportunities to play as more of a side character. So we try to be very respectful of our actors in terms of letting them go off and do other things. And it works perfectly fine for us, because of the nature of the show shifting focus. We always want to give our main couple that screen time. So we’ll see what happens. But I love those two, and I would always be happy to see more from them.
Evaluating The Likelihood of Kate and Anthony’s Return
In her quote, Brownell brings up the important point ofBridgerton’s shifted focus in season 3. Of all the seasons ofBridgertonthus far,season 3 is by far the most Penelope-focusedof the lot. Both in her Lady Whistledown plot and her plot with Colin, Penelope’s triumphs and foibles are a major player inBridgertonseason 3, forming the main arc of the season. Fans really appreciated this focus on Penelope, with the Penelope-Colin carriage scene getting particularly prominent fan attention.
Given the success ofBridgertonseason 3, it would be difficult for the show to justify taking time away from Penelope in the fourth season. Audiences do like Anthony and Kate, whomarried off-screen inBridgertonseason 2, but the absolute fawning over Colin and Penelope is irresistible for a show writer. According to recent reports from Brownell,Bridgertonseason 4 is close to done with the script-writing phase, making Brownell’s recent quote seem much more like a harbinger of doom for Anthony and Kate fans.
Brownell also brings up the point of wanting to be respectful to actors who may want to pursue other opportunities, which implies that such could be the case with either Simone Ashley, who plays Kate, or Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony. Bailey, for one, is having a busy year, ashe was cast inHeartstopperand is also set to play Fiyero inWicked. WithWicked: Part Twohappening next year, Bailey is likely to be more tied up. Ashley may have more attention after her roles onBridgertonandSex Education, weakening her chances of returning to play Kate forBridgertonseason 4.
Bridgerton
Cast
Bridgerton, released on August 20, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
