The Bridgerton cast and author Julia Quinn – have tried to explain Benedict’s shocking love offer to Sophie after the season 4 scene sparked outrage from fans.
Those who read Quinn’s book A gentleman’s offer I already knew it when season 4 released in January 2026, Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) interest in a mysterious woman called the Silver Lady would create obstacles for him amidst a growing attraction to the maid Sophie (Yerin Ha). Despite Sophie being the Silver Lady, her social class prevented Benedict from courting her properly.
Instead, Benedict chose to get creative by making a different suggestion at the end of Part 1 that he included asking Sophie to be his lover.
“I stay away because you consume me. I meant it when you said you deserved better,” she said. “And I am determined to give it to you and more. Sophie, be my mistress.”
Season 4 of Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton featured a housekeeper story that has outraged. The show returned on Thursday, January 29 with Benedict (Luke Thompson) as the lead after a three-season wait. Very quickly, he found himself falling in love with two different women: a mysterious guest at his mother’s dance and (…)
While the moment was taken directly from Quinn’s novel, it still caused an off-screen reaction for some members of the public.
“The big thing is that he grows up and gets over it and changes his mind and then he’s like, ‘You’re more important than what anyone says.’ And I think it’s so romantic that he has to learn that than just come out right away,” Quinn exclusively said. Us Weekly in February 2026 on the offer point. “I like to show character growth. I don’t want my characters to be perfect at the beginning. I want them to be better towards the end.”
Keep scrolling to see how more Bridgerton The cast and crew tried to defend Benedict amid the controversial story point:
Breaking the book’s complicated scene
Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson
Liam Daniel/Netflix“During the time period, it wasn’t reasonable for Benedict to think that was the right question,” showrunner Jess Brownell told TVLine in January 2026 while admitting it was “a huge mistake on Benedict’s part.”
Brownell acknowledged that viewers who support the fictional romance may not be thrilled, adding: “I would have to see Sophie as more than her class. For him to ask that question at that moment, outrage is absolutely the right reaction.”
After the strong response, Brownell highlighted Benedict’s outdated view of marriage.
“A lot of his progressiveness, not with his sexuality but in other ways, has been performative,” she noted of Benedict’s preference for traditional values. “He’s incredibly privileged and he hasn’t really taken that privilege into account. He’s enjoyed life to the fullest, but he’s never done anything really scary.”
Brownell also noted that there would be consequences if Benedict had an actual relationship with a maid. Despite the Bridgertons’ social status, they would be punished by society, and this would affect Benedict’s sisters, who would no longer be considered viable options for marriage.
“Benedict’s deep down he’s not as brave as he’d like to be because he’s never gone out in a way where he’s had to be brave,” Brownell added.
Straight from the source material
Yerin Ha and Luke Thompson in Bridgerton Season 4
netflixAfter some fans were outraged by Benedict’s offer, author Julia Quinn spoke out, telling Us exclusively in February 2026: “He’s just saying, ‘You have to make sure the viewers understand how unprecedented it would be for him to offer his marriage.’
Quinn noted that he had no specific requests for how his scenes were recreated, but he needed the same message.
“That’s something I just said, ‘You have to make sure they understand this, because it’s going to look really awful,'” Quinn explained of Benedict’s offer to Sophie. “And that’s why I always tell people, ‘Hey, the big deal isn’t that he’s doing this, not that he’s asking her to be his lover, because that would happen.’
Season 4 of Bridgerton is inspired by Julia Quinn’s book An Offer From a Gentleman, but there were also some major changes. The final season of Bridgerton follows Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) love story with Sophie (Yerin Ha) from the third novel in Quinn’s series. As some fans know, Benedict’s world is turned upside down (…)
Supporting strong opinions
“I really love how it came out. I think it’s a very sexy moment, until of course that record-breaking moment when Benedict asked Sophie to be his lover,” Brownell told Variety. “Partly, we’re trying to illustrate just how deep the class divide was back then. And I think, really, what Benedict is asking would have been considered the only way for a man, a gentleman, and a housemaid to be together during that time.”
She continued, “So it’s not that unusual for him to think that’s romantic. However, in the larger context of him being the love of his life and us seeing his love story, I think it’s absolutely the right reaction to be outraged and angry with him. So I think that reaction is right and her lack of understanding about how it’s going to turn out is something that we’re half addressing.”
Conflicting thoughts on the Final Cut
While Yerin Ha jokingly told The Kit in February 2026 that Benedict’s offer was a “blood red flag,” Luke Thompson was more lenient with her character.
“I think maybe he’s a little afraid of what it would mean to be in a properly committed relationship to ‘give it all’ to someone,” she explained. “That’s scary for him. And there’s good reason for that.”
Thompson clarified that he didn’t “want to justify it too much.”
“People can feel angry. I get it,” he shared. “But actually, I think drama should be a little bit divisive. There has to be some kind of provocation, otherwise it’s not fun to watch, there’s nothing to argue about.”