Hannah Dodd (Anatomy of a Scandal) has been cast to play Francesca Bridgerton in Season 3 of Bridgerton, replacing Ruby Stokes as the enigmatic Bridgerton sibling. According to Deadline, Stokes’ recast was due to scheduling conflicts, since he is set to play in Netflix’s Lockwood & Co., a series based on Jonathan Stroud’s book series of the same name.
Francesca Brigderton has had the least amount of screen time thus far, appearing on occasion during the first season before disappearing entirely in the middle of Season 2. Given the emphasis on her elder siblings, the character’s enigmatic personality made appropriate. However, as the series progresses through Julia Quinn’s novels, the time has come for Francesca to play a central part, which is likely made difficult by Stokes’ schedule. With a new star due to take Francesca’s place, the sibling may play a larger role in the highly anticipated third season. Perhaps cousins John and Michael Stirling, who both play important roles in Francesca’s life, will be introduced in Season 3?
Bridgerton’s first season was primarily concerned with the romance between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). Season 2 changed the focus to Daphne’s brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), who is looking for a wife. In Season 2, Anthony attempts to marry for military reasons but falls in love with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). The two battle their feelings while realising that their mutual pestering is a sign of caring, till they find themselves in each other’s arms. While no official storyline details for Season 3 of Bridgerton have been released, if the trend continues, it will most likely be an adaptation of the third book in the series, An Offer From a Gentleman, which centres on second brother Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).
The first season of Bridgerton, which premiered in 2020, was such a huge hit that Netflix has already renewed it for a fourth season. The show got 12 Emmy nominations in its debut season, including Best Drama Series, making it a critical hit. Season 2 continued the trend, shattering audience records and bringing the series’ total viewing time to over a billion hours. People are starving for love, and Bridgerton is here to fill that void.
Julia Quinn’s works influenced Bridgerton. Lorraine Ashbourne, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Shelley Conn, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Claudia Jessie, Calam Lynch, Luke Newton, Golda Rosheuvel, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, Rupert Young, and Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown star in Season 2.