'Bridgerton' Author Responds to Francesca's New Gender Swap Storyline, Reveals What She Made Clear to Showrunner Jess Brownell

justjared.com:

Bridgerton‘s author Julia Quinn has released a statement on some of the fan backlash from season three’s major change to Francesca’s story.

We will be revealing spoilers throughout this article, so be warned! At the end of season three, after Francesca, portrayed by Hannah Dodd on the show, marries John, portrayed by Victor Alli, they meet his cousin, Michaela, portrayed by Masali Baduza.

In the original book series, Francesca’s husband John dies, and she goes on to eventually marry his cousin, Michael. The Bridgerton showrunner, Jess Brownell, decided to change the character of Michael to Michaela, which will seemingly lead to a queer storyline for the characters.

Some fans have not been happy with this switch, as it’s a departure from the original book “When He Was Wicked.” Now, Julia Quinn is responding. Keep reading to find out more… Read Julia Quinn’s entire statement on the Bridgerton gender swap below… On Facebook, she wrote, “Many Bridgerton fans have expressed their surprise, and for some, disappointment in the twist at the end of Bridgerton Season 3–that Michael Stirling, with whom Francesca eventually falls in love in “When He Was Wicked,” would instead be Michaela.” She continued, “Anyone who has seen an interview with me from the past four years knows that I am deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen.