Tragic ‘Bridgerton’ death sets the stage for Season 5

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from “Bridgerton” Season 4, Vol. 2, now streaming on Netflix.

Dearest gentle reader, death has come to the ton. 

The death of a major character in “Bridgerton” Season 4 is setting the scene for the next season of the hit Netflix series.

At the end of the sixth episode, Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) husband, John Stirling (Victor Alli), tells her that he’s going to go lie down for a nap. When she asks if he’s feeling well, he assures her “only a small headache” and asks her to wake him up later. 

Upon discovering him dead, Francesca screams as his visiting cousin, Michaela (Masali Baduza), rushes in to help.

Each season of Shonda Rhimes’ romance series follows a different member of the Bridgerton family as they find love in regency era England. 

Though they have yet to announce whose leading the fifth season of “Bridgerton,” John’s death — which is a major plot point in the books — suggests Francesca may take center stage.

Season 4, meanwhile, follows the Cinderella-esque love story of maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). 

However, the plot also takes a detour into Francesca’s tragedy, including a funeral for her husband.

This season marks the first major “Bridgerton” on-screen death. The family’s father died before the events of the show began, though we see a flashback during Season 2.

Following John’s death, everyone worries about Francesca, as she manically throws herself into hostess duties, fussing over details that don’t matter, like the food. 

Benedict gives a speech at the funeral, saying, “What makes this death so difficult to bear is not just its suddenness, but the fact that he was a good man, one of the best of us. Always guided by an unshakable sense of integrity, his devotion to his family, to his seat in Parliament, and most especially to my sister, Francesca.” 

Sophie bonds with her future sister-in-law, since she lost a close family member too – her father. She recalls worrying about the food at his funeral, too, and advises Francesca, “the best any of us can do is honor the memories of those we’ve loved, and let them live on through us.” 

John’s death isn’t Franceca’s only heartbreak in Season 4. Immediately following his passing, she’s also happy to discover that she’s pregnant, though later on learns she’s not expecting.

In Francesca’s Julia Quinn book, “When He Was Wicked,” John dies of an aneurysm and Francesca ultimately ends up with his cousin, Michael.

The show has gender-flipped Michael, changing the character into Michaela, who will be the love interest for that season.

In 2022, just after Dodd was cast in the show, she told Page Six she was nervous for her on-screen romance scenes.

“I’m, like, a massive fan of ‘Bridgerton,’ so I’m like, ‘Bring on the steaminess,’ but then I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do that,’” she told us, adding, “I want it for the people who watch it, but to actually do it is quite scary.”

“Bridgerton” Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.