Bridgerton Showrunner Responds to Fan Outrage Over the Infamous 'Mistress' Offer Aimée LutkinFebruary 2, 2026 at 1:47 AM 0 Bridgerton Showrunner Responds to Fan Outrage Liam Daniel Netflix Bridgerton released Part 1 of season 4 last month. The first half concludes with a cliffhanger. Some fans are offended by the final interaction between the two leads, Benedict and Sophie. Bridgerton released the first half of season 4 on January 29, which concluded with a cliffhanger between the show's current story leads, Benedict and Sophie.
- - Bridgerton Showrunner Responds to Fan Outrage Over the Infamous 'Mistress' Offer
Aimée LutkinFebruary 2, 2026 at 1:47 AM
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Bridgerton Showrunner Responds to Fan Outrage Liam Daniel - Netflix
Bridgerton released Part 1 of season 4 last month.
The first half concludes with a cliffhanger.
Some fans are offended by the final interaction between the two leads, Benedict and Sophie.
Bridgerton released the first half of season 4 on January 29, which concluded with a cliffhanger between the show's current story leads, Benedict and Sophie. Played by Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha, the couple's final scene together in episode 4 shows them finally sharing a sexual encounter. The warmth of the moment quickly ends when Benedict proposes that Sophie become his mistress.
For modern viewers, the interaction might be a bit hard to understand. But the show is set in the Regency era, when marriage between classes was unlikely and, if it did happen, swiftly punished by society. Benedict is a member of the aristocracy and Sophie is a maid. So, being his mistress is likely the best that he can conceive of offering.
"I stay away because you consume me. I meant it when you said you deserved better," he tells her. "And I am determined to give it to you, and more. Sophie, be my mistress."
In an interview with Variety, Jess Brownell discussed the moment, expanding on why it might have been all he could do—no matter how annoyed fans are by the less than romantic offer.
"It felt like a really meaningful place for the two of them to have their first real encounter; in this liminal space between the upstairs and the downstairs," Brownwell explained. "I really love the way it came out. I think it is a really hot moment—until, of course, that record scratch moment when Benedict asked Sophie to be his mistress. In part, we are trying to illustrate just how big the class divide was then. And I think truly, what Benedict asks would have been considered the only way for a man—a gentleman—and a housemaid to be together during that era."
She continued, "So it's not that unusual for him to think that that's romantic. However, in the larger context of this being the love of his life and us watching their love story, I think it's absolutely the right reaction to be outraged and to be mad at him. So I think that reaction is correct and his lack of understanding about how it will come out is something we're going to bring him up on in the back half."
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Published: February 01, 2026 at 11:36PM on Source: MARIO MAG
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