As Bridgerton rolls into its fifth season, the show continues to add to its cast.
Tega Alexander, Jacqueline Boatswain and Gemma Knight Jones are joining the Netflix series for the coming season. Season five will focus on the romance between the Bridgertons’ middle daughter Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and her late husband’s cousin Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza).
Alexander (MobLand) will play Christopher Anderson, the son of Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis). The character is described as “a Regency-era Casanova who could give the Bridgerton bachelors a run for their money. Yet behind his cheeky facade lies a current of self-doubt that threatens to unravel him. The son of Lord Anderson will make his mark on society, one way or another.”
Boatswain (The Marlow Murder Club) will play Michaela’s mother, Helen Stirling. Helen looks to guide, and occasionally push, her daughter through London’s social season, applying tough love when necessary.
Jones (also a MobLand alum) is set to play Lady Elizabeth Ashworth, an old friend of Michaela’s who is her confidante and guide to London. The character is described as playful but also a realist who’s well aware of society’s unspoken rules.
The official description for season five reads, “The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca. Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons. But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.”
Jess Brownell is the showrunner for season five and executive produces with Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica and Chris Van Dusen.
