‘Bridgerton’ Author Weighs In On “Disappointment” In Francesca’s Season 3 Twist, Asks Fans To Give Her And Shondaland “Some Faith”

Dessi Gomez
·3 min read
30

SPOILER ALERT: The following reveals major plot points from Netflix’s Bridgerton and the book series as well as speculation about the Bridgertonverse.

Bridgerton author Julia Quinn has commented on the reaction to that twist involving Hannah Dodd’s Francesca at the end of Season 3 of the Netflix series.

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Season 3, which largely focused on the friends-to-lovers story between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) from Quinn’s Romancing Mister Bridgerton, also intertwined some of the plot of Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) love story, inspired by the book When He Was Wicked. While fans of the books expected the introduction of one Michael Stirling, cousin of Francesca’s new husband John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli), they were met instead with a gender-swapped character — Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza). Francesca was notably stunned when she first saw Michaela, and showrunner Jess Brownell told Deadline of her plans to gender bend Francesca’s story, which felt natural.

“Many Bridgerton fans have expressed their surprise, and for some, disappointment in the twist at the end of Bridgerton Season 3 – that Michael Stirling, with whom Francesca eventually falls in love in When He Was Wicked, would instead be Michaela,” Quinn wrote in a message posted to Instagram. “When Jess Brownell first approached me with the idea of turning Michael into Michaela for the show, I needed more information before conferring my agreement.”

Quinn went on to assert her trust in Shondaland’s vision for Bridgerton as well as her desire that the spirit of the books remain in the television adaptation, especially when it came to Francesca’s love for John.

“I actually had to fight to have the first four chapters, which establish that love, included,” she continued. “My publisher was worried that writing about Fran’s love for John would take away from Michael’s role as the eventual romance novel hero.”

L to R) Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, Victor Alli as John Stirling in 'Bridgerton'
Bridgerton. (L to R) Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, Victor Alli as John Stirling in episode 303 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix ? 2024

In When He Was Wicked, John dies of a brain aneurysm shortly into his marriage to Francesca, and Michael, who has coveted her since she married John, eventually steps in as Earl of Kilmartin and pursues Francesca. Quinn wrote of her confidence that Francesca’s Bridgerton season will be “the most emotional and heart-wrenching” story of the show” with potentially “even more of a punch, since John is getting a lot more time on the screen than he ever did on the page.”

“Thank you to readers and fans for your feedback. I am grateful for your understanding and touched by your deep commitment to the characters of the Bridgerton world,” Quinn concluded. “I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward. 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.”

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