- - 'Bridgerton' fan event gives a sneak peek at Season 4's premiere, plus episode names and podcast details

Kate MurphyJanuary 15, 2026 at 8:20 PM

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Netflix offered Bridgerton fans a special sneak peek of the first episode in Season 4 two weeks before its premiere with a masquerade-themed livestreamed event from Paris at the Palais Brongniart.

But what was expected to be a dazzling debut for fans turned out not to be Netflix’s finest hour, as the livestream was very fashionably late due to technical difficulties, leaving fans who RSVP’d upset, to say the least.

The event was expected to start at 12:30 p.m. ET, and over an hour and a half later, the Bridgerton Season 4 Premiere Masquerade got underway. Before Episode 1 was livestreamed for fans, the event featured interviews with the Season 4 cast, a preview of a new accompanying Bridgerton podcast, the iconic string song covers for Episode 1, and the episode titles for Season 4.

The first half of Season 4 will premiere on Netflix with four episodes on Jan. 29. The second half, comprising four more episodes, will arrive on Feb. 26.

What is Season 4 about?

Season 4 will focus on the long-awaited love story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), second-eldest of the Bridgerton siblings, who is portrayed as a “bohemian” who does not feel bound by society's expectations.

The Cinderella-esque romance plot, based on Julia Quinn's 2001 novel An Offer From a Gentleman, centers on forbidden love and will be at the heart of this high-society social season in Mayfair. This time, Benedict Bridgerton will be the one swept off his feet by a character new to the series, whom he initially only knows as a woman behind a silver mask. Her name is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), and she is revealed to be a maid with a hidden past.

When Thompson and Ha were asked during the livestream event about the relationship of their characters, Ha said that because these two people are not expected to find love by society’s standards, it “makes it even more special.”

Thompson was asked what he thinks draws Benedict to Sophie. “There’s a reality and groundedness she has that other ladies in the ton don’t have,” Thompson said.

What is the new ‘Bridgerton’ companion podcast about?

Bridgerton: The Official Podcastwill do a deep dive into the tea of the ton across six episodes in interviews with this season's cast, including new leads Thompson and Ha, as well as executive producer Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Jess Brownell. It’s hosted by Alison Hammond, who fans may know as a co-host on The Great British Baking Show.

The first three episodes of the podcast will debut on Jan. 29, alongside the Season 4 premiere.

What are the names of the episodes in Season 4?

Part 1 (Jan. 29)

Episode 1: “The Waltz”

Episode 2: “Time Transfixed”

Episode 3: “The Field Next to the Other Road”

Episode 4: “An Offer from a Gentleman”

Part 2 (Feb. 26)

Episode 5: “Yes or No”

Episode 6: “The Passing Winter”

Episode 7: “The Beyond”

Episode 8: “Dance in the Country”

What are the classical covers in Episode 1 of the new season?

Set in London’s high society during the Regency Era, the show is known for its classical string covers of popular modern songs. The livestreamed fan event revealed the original songs covered in Episode 1 during a masquerade ball hosted by Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell).

Coldplay’s “Life in Technicolor” Covered by Vitamin String Quartet

Usher Ft. Pitbull’s “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” Covered by Strings From Paris

Third Eye Blind’s “Never Let You Go” Covered by Vitamin String Quartet

Previous seasons have featured covers of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Madonna, Gayle and Alanis Morissette.

Season 4, Episode 1 premiere recap (Warning! Spoilers ahead)

“The Walz”starts off with the buzzing of the Bridgerton household as it prepares to host the first ball of the season and welcomes home Lord and Lady Kilmartin (Victor Alli and Hannah Dodd) and Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) from Scotland.

Penelope Bridgerton (aka Lady Whistledown) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) are also there with their new baby (aka little Lord Featherington). There’s just one member of the family missing: Benedict Bridgerton, who is still up to his playboy ways, much to the disappointment of his mother, Lady Bridgerton. Her hope is that he will not be late for the very important masquerade ball she is hosting.

We also learn that while Queen Charlotte has discovered the true identity of Lady Whistledown, she has decided to befriend her, as long as the gossip columnist continues to provide the Queen with all the goings on behind the scenes of the ton.

Queen Charlotte graces Lady Bridgerton’s masquerade ball with her attendance and sets her sights on the next “diamond” of the season. But this time, she is tired of debutantes and wants to focus on a suitor, which happens to be the most eligible bachelor all the debutantes fawn over at the ball, none other than Benedict Bridgerton. Penelope accidentally proposes a bet to the Queen that the bachelor will never get married, which ends up in her latest column.

Meanwhile, Benedict becomes intrigued with a mysterious woman in a silver mask who reveals that she cannot dance. Determined to teach her, Benedict takes her outside with the faint music playing in the background. Much like the story of Cinderella, the mysterious woman declines to reveal her name to Benedict or how he can call on her the next day. She leaves him with her right glove before the time strikes midnight, when the party guests have to take off their masks.

Toward the end of the episode, it becomes clear that the mysterious woman is a housemaid to the new character, Lady Araminta Gun, who also attended the masquerade ball with her two debutante daughters.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”