Fans can’t stop speculating about who will lead Bridgerton Season 5, with passionate viewers making the case for why the next chapter should follow either Eloise or Francesca.
To that end, a new theory suggests a big clue might be hiding in a deleted scene — and it points to one self-proclaimed “spinster” getting her own love story.
Is It Eloise’s Time To Shine?
In a behind-the-scenes photo dump shared by Yerin Ha (who plays Sophie), a playback screen shows Claudia Jessie (Eloise) sitting in a swing.
Now, Eloise is no stranger to this fixture of the Bridgerton backyard. But she’s usually accompanied by her brother, Benedict. The pair have shared many a heart-to-heart on the swings throughout the show, usually bonding over their shared aversion to the marriage mart. (Their latest came in Season 4, Episode 2, when Eloise playfully chides her brother for ditching the happily single club.)
In the behind-the-scenes snap, Eloise appears to be wearing her outfit from the final ball of the season — meaning Benedict is likely off with Sophie, his new fiancée.
The official Bridgerton account also shared a peek at Eloise’s swing scene, where Jessie snuggled up next to her on-screen sister, Hannah Dodd (Francesca), between takes.
A Missing Moment
Curiously, there’s no swing scene in the final cut of Bridgerton’s Season 4 finale — even though, as one Redditor put it, “I feel like this scene was the final push we needed to clearly know it was Eloise next and get everyone excited for her season.”
But as several commenters pointed out, it might have been omitted for exactly that reason. “This production prefers to cause drama and speculation instead of providing good cliffhangers,” one wrote.
Another viewer voiced similar sentiments, writing: “Maybe it was too much of a clue.”
But on other threads, several fans were hopeful that it wasn’t really a deleted scene at all. “Definitely revealed that Eloise would be S5 and Francesca will be S6,” one user suggested, theorizing that it will “probably will be used for announcement soon to keep us excited.”
One fan imagined that Eloise “on a swing by herself with a letter would be perfect” for announcing her season, referencing the way Eloise’s love story begins with a pen-pal relationship in the book To Sir Phillip, with Love.
Given how often Eloise has retreated to the swings for comfort, it would be poetic to see her reckon with her loneliness — and navigate her next steps — from the same spot.
