Dearest gentle readers, Benedict will be the ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 lead

Dearest gentle readers,

On Tuesday, Netflix announced that Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson, 36) will officially be the lead of “Bridgerton” Season 4. 

Per the streamer’s official description, “The fourth season of Bridgerton turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict (Luke Thompson). Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.”

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Each season of the steamy Shonda Rhimes hit follows a different member of the Bridgerton family as they find love in 1800s London — while a “Gossip Girl”-esque figure named Lady Whistledown spreads their secrets in “Dearest gentle reader” missives.

Season 3 followed broke a piece of furniture during a sex scene.

As a side plot, it also followed Benedict’s sexual awakening, as he had a threesome with Lady Tilley (Hannah New) and her other male lover, Paul Suarez (Lucas Aurelio) — officially confirming that Benedict likes men as well as women. 

From Netflix’s announcement, it sounds like he will find his “happily ever after” with a woman. 

Season 4 also showed his sister Francesca (Hannah Dodd) finding love, and another sister, Eloise (Claudia Jessie), seeming lost in life. So there was a possibility that either of them would take center stage in Season 4. But, nope, Netflix’s announcement shut down any speculation. It’s time for Benedict’s turn in the spotlight.

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“Bridgerton” is based on a series of historical romance novels by author Julia Quinn. In May, Quinn told The Post that she doesn’t understand why “Bridgerton” has gotten the reputation as the “raunchiest show.” 

“It’s just very interesting, the way that people talk about the intimacy [on the show]. Because, I’ll see headlines like ‘Netflix’s raunchiest show!’ and I’ll be like, ‘It’s really not.’ ”

Quinn continued, “There are plenty of other shows that show the same level of intimate scenes, and the big difference is that … They are showing intimacy as something that’s not necessarily transactional, but something that’s part of a growing and healthy relationship.” 

She added, “It’s kind of funny. If the sex is accompanied by a lot of violence in the show, it’s not raunchy, it’s just part of it. But if the show is not edgy and violent, and the intimate scenes are part of a love story that goes somewhere, and there’s a happy ending, then it’s called raunchy. And I’m like, ‘Is it?’ ”

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Benedict wasn’t the only queer curveball from Season 3. Although all the characters are white and straight in the books, the show has made the cast more diverse and added LGBTQ characters. Season 3 confirmed that Benedict likes men as well as women, and it also added a female love interest, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), for his sister Francesca.

In June, Quinn took to Instagram to address that adaptation.

“I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward,” she wrote. “I think we are going to end up with two stories, one on page and one on screen, and they will both be beautiful and moving.”

“Bridgerton” Season 4 does not yet have an announced premiere date on Netflix.