'Bridgerton' Showrunner Jess Brownell Just Gave Us A Surprise Update On Eloise's Love Story

Jess Brownell offers the first details about Eloise's love story in 'Bridgerton.'

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Jess Brownell revealed that the new episodes will be taking viewers into uncharted territory. “Both Eloise and Francesca’s stories leave the marriage mart. We’re often outside of London,” she says. “Francesca’s is a queer story, and Eloise is a very progressive person—her story actually starts with the marriage, rather than ending with the marriage.”

She doesn't confirm who's the focus on season 5, but she does say, “Either way we go, these are stories that are very much going to shake up the formula that we’ve seen from the first four seasons of Bridgerton.”

Naturally, fans of the middle Bridgerton daughter have flooded social media with their excitement. "A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE IS COMING???!!!!" one user tweeted, while another said, "She’s like 'I’ve actually hacked it. I’m just going to get married for convenience and I definitely won’t fall in love. I’m a genius.'"

'Bridgerton' fans have actually already met Eloise's love interest.

Anyone who knows the Bridgerton books knows Eloise marries Phillip Crane — and we've seen him in the show already! Phillip (Chris Fulton) shows up at the end of Bridgerton season 1 to tell Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) that the father of her child, his brother George, has died. Marina and Phillip get married instead.

But after Marina passes away, Eloise sends Phillip her condolences, and the two become pen pals. "After everything Eloise has been through, especially with Penelope and with Cressida in season three, it felt time for her to get to the point where...It’s not that she’s abandoning her progressive ideals, but she is opening her heart and realizing that for other people, marriage really works, it can give them agency. So, I’m excited to see the ways in which that allows her to grow and change in season five," Brownell says.

There's also a new Lady Whistledown in town.

And in the final moments of Bridgerton season 4, we see that even though Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) has retired her Lady Whistledown column, someone else has taken up the role. The most popular fan theory I've seen is that the new writer is Hyacinth, but we'll have to wait for future episodes to know for sure. How Gossip Girl of them!

"When you have Julie Andrews voicing Lady Whistledown, it’s not something that you particularly want to give up. And Whistledown has become so important to our storytelling; it helps us set up the themes of the season," Brownell tells VF. "She, at least in this newer iteration, is going to become a bit of a sh—t stirrer—someone who creates drama and conflict for us with what she writes. Penelope, because she had gone through an arc as a character and came out a more accountable person, we felt like we can’t really have her say some of the naughty things we want her to say anymore. But this newer version of Whistledown might not have the same scruples—she’s just a bit messier."

We're all looking ahead to 'Bridgerton' season 5.

If you're anticipating Bridgerton season 5, you're not alone! "The writers room is done. We have drafts of all the episodes," Jess Brownell says. "We are starting production not too long from now. We’re definitely wanting to honor Luke [Thompson] and Yerin [Ha] and all of their amazing hard work they’ve put into season four, take just a beat with that. But soon enough, we’ll be announcing where we’re going for season five."

Where can I watch Bridgerton season 5?

We don't have a release date quite yet (although based on the 2-year schedule, we can expect 2028). Watch Bridgerton seasons 1-4 on Netflix now!