'Bridgerton' finale reveals new mystery around Lady Whistledown for season 5

'Bridgerton' season 5 will feature a new Lady Whistledown, with identity kept secret

Bridgerton will enter a new chapter in season 5 as a different Lady Whistledown takes control of the scandal sheet, with the showrunner confirming the mystery will extend beyond the upcoming episodes.

The season 4 finale of the Netflix drama revealed that Penelope is no longer behind the society gossip column, marking a significant departure from the Julia Quinn novels on which the series is based. The twist was confirmed in a post-credits scene, setting up a fresh storyline for the next instalment.

Speaking to TVLine, showrunner Jess Brownell said the series has “gone rogue” from the source material. “We get to create a genuine mystery now,” she explained. “Because it was in the books that Penelope was Whistledown, we never felt like we could really play with that mystery that much.”

Despite the change in authorship, Julie Andrews will continue as the voice of Lady Whistledown. Brownell noted that Andrews has subtly adjusted her performance to reflect the new writer.

“It's a testament to what an incredible actor she is that she's playing it in a slightly different way,” Brownell said. “Thats a real nod to the slightly different personality and M.O. of this new Whistledown going forward into Season 5.”

Brownell described the new columnist as “a little bit messier” than Penelope and added: “This Whistledown is really [swinging] for the fences.”

The identity of the new Lady Whistledown will not be revealed in season 5. “It's definitely not going to be revealed in Season 5,” Brownell confirmed. “I think we'll play with it for awhile.”

She also stated that the creative team knows who the new Whistledown is and that clues, though limited, are being placed intentionally for viewers to revisit later.