Bridgerton season 5 gets major release update - and it will be a first in the franchise's history

Netflix has revealed when fans can expect Bridgerton season 5 to land – and it’s set to break the show’s release cycle.

The upcoming instalment of the hit period drama, which has, up to this point, aired new seasons every other year following the show’s debut in late 2020, will premiere in 2027 – a year after season 4 aired.

The news was revealed by Netflix’s chief content officer Bela Bajaria during the streamer’s upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on Wednesday (13 May).

Back in March, Netflix revealed that production had begun on season 5, while also announcing that the new instalment would focus on Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza) as the leading couple.

This marks a deviation from the fifth Bridgerton book – titled To Sir Phillip, with Love – which focuses on Eloise, a self professed "spinster", finally finding love.

The official synopsis for season 5 reads: "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."

Season 5 won’t be the first time the Netflix show has deviated from its source material, with the third season – which landed in two parts on Netflix between January and February of this year – taking inspiration from the fourth Bridgerton novel, Romancing Mr Bridgerton, and focusing on Colin (Luke Newton) finding love.

Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) love story, which is the focus of the third Bridgerton novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, then served as inspiration for the fourth season of the show.

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Bridgerton seasons 1-4 are available to watch on Netflix now. You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.

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