Bridgerton season 4 teased in table read with new leads plus returning stars

Fans have been treated to photos of the cast as they return to the ton (albeit, in slightly more comfortable clothes than their tailcoats and corsets).

One shows our new romantic leads, Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton) and Yerin Ha (Sophie Baek) posing for a snap together.

Others show cast members including Ruth Gemmell (Lady Violet Bridgerton), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Hugh Sachs (Brimsley), Geraldine Alexander (Mrs Wilson), and more engrossed in the scripts and giggling at certain moments. We have to wonder what scandalous scenes await us!

The photos were posted on the Bridgerton social media accounts as a Christmas present for fans with the caption: "Rejoice for it is the season of joy and merriment!" It certainly is.

After all, fans are going to need tidbits like this to tide them over, as we're not expecting Bridgerton season 4 until 2026.

Showrunner Jess Brownell previously explained this timeline, telling The Hollywood Reporter: "We are working to try and put the seasons out more quickly. But they do take eight months to film and then they have to be edited, and then they have to be dubbed into every language."

She continued: "And then writing takes a very long time as well, so we're kind of on a two-year pace, we're trying to speed up but somewhere in the range."

However, fans are hoping it will very much be worth the wait, with many thrilled that Benedict is finally getting his love story.

Benedict is the focus of the third Bridgerton novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, which many fans had expected to serve as inspiration for season 3.

Season 3 changed up the chronology of the novels to focus on Benedict's younger brother Colin (Luke Newton) and his romance with Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).

Now, however, Benedict's time has come, with Netflix teasing: "Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down - until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother's masquerade ball."

We'll be waiting patiently for more news!

Bridgerton seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix. You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.