Bridgerton stars admit even they were shocked by season 4’s erotic ‘carriage scene’

‘I burn for you.’ ‘You are the bane of my existence, and the object of all my desires.’ ‘A feeling that is like torture. But one which I cannot, will not, do not want to give up.’

These sensually-charged lines are seared into the minds of Bridgerton fans around the globe. The yearning, the lust – hopelessly romantic viewers can never get enough.

It makes sense then that season 4 – which arrives on Netflix this month – is laden with extraordinarily high expectations, as the beloved Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) meets his match in Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).

Metro recently sat down with the new lead stars of the global phenomenon to discuss taking up the mantle, the pressures that entails and what fans can expect from the famously raunchy period drama.

Last year, the series set tongues wagging when Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) were intimate during that unforgettable carriage scene. Fans were flustered to say the least, especially when they turned on audio description.

So what could Yerin, 27, and Luke, 37, tell us about what season four’s equivalent of the carriage scene is going to be like? While they played it coy, they did admit that even they were shocked by how the plot unfolded.

‘It’s never the one you imagine,’ Luke responded, regarding which scene is going to be the standout steamy moment for their season.

‘No, it isn’t,’ Yerin agreed. ‘I was quite shocked. I really can’t say anything. I was quite shocked. That’s all I can say!’

Luke, who’s been a part of the Bridgerton cast since it first premiered in 2020, shed further light, adding: ‘There are a couple of… maybe there’s one specific one that feels like “a thing”, like a carriage. Maybe that’s all I can say.’

The actors, whose chemistry is as clear in person as it is on screen, said so much while saying so little.

The upcoming new season of Bridgerton goes where no previous one has gone before by delving deeper into the upstairs-downstairs dynamic of the Ton, as Sophie is a maid.

Sophie and Benedict meet at a masquerade ball, but because of the disguise that she’s wearing, the second-born Benedict brother doesn’t know her true identity, despite becoming instantly enchanted by her.

Fans of the books written by Julia Quinn have been eagerly anticipating the debut of ‘Benophie’ (as they’re fondly known) for quite some time.

‘It’s exciting. It’s just so nice to receive so much support and love. That’s always a positive,’ Yerin remarked regarding the anticipation from fans who are especially excited to watch Benophie brought to life.

‘If it was the other way around, I think I’d be a bit more nervous, but it’s all been so lovely and positive.’

Luke showered praise on the casting department, explaining how talented they are at ‘finding the absolute right balance’.

‘It just felt very simple and natural,’ he recalled. ‘There are so many scenes to explore. Their love story is constantly… the context is changing, and they sort of change with it. It’s just so juicy to be able to explore all of that together.’

Yerin, who’s starred in other TV shows including Dune: Prophecy, Halo and The Survivors, felt that it was a ‘blessing’ for Bridgerton to explore the world of the service staff on a deeper level, as it ‘really opens up whole new doors’ for the drama.

‘I think it grounds it, makes it more realistic,’ she said. ‘It’s less pretty and shiny and glamorous, which I think is quite nice. It’s the fourth season now, so it’s nice to have a change of energy and pace. I’m excited for the audience to see that.’

Both Luke and Yerin found similarities between themselves and their characters that helped them gain a greater insight into Benedict and Sophie’s minds.

Luke admitted that he’s always felt there’s a ‘blurred line’ between him and Benedict, and he loves how ‘universal’ the show is, allowing more people to relate to his aspirational but directionless artist.

Yerin ‘always tries to find anchor points’ for the roles she takes on, and found parallels between her and Sophie’s stories.

‘I do think I understand the outside experience and not quite knowing… for Sophie, it’s like, “Am I noble? Am I a maid?” With that upbringing, and also my upbringing, being Korean, Australian. So bringing those experiences to her.’

One can only imagine how it must feel to become the two new lead stars of a show as big as Bridgerton. As of January 2026, the first season is the seventh most popular TV show on Netflix ever, boasting over 113 million views.

Looking back on the previous male leads – Regé-Jean Page, Jonathan Bailey and Luke Newton – Luke shared how grateful he was to be able to ‘absorb’ from their performances.

‘Everyone does it in their own way, and everyone has their strengths and the thing that really works for them,’ he stated. ‘I’ve been in the corner, just taking notes.’

Yerin revealed that after her casting was announced, Simone Ashley and Nicola Coughlan reached out to her to say that they were available if she wanted ‘any advice or help’.

‘But I kind of wanted to figure out myself what I needed to do,’ she outlined. ‘I’m a big believer in you have to make your own mistakes, to learn from them. No matter how many times people can warn you, until you actually experience it, feel it, you never know.

‘We’re also quite different people, so my struggles might be different to theirs, but it was always nice to know that I could fall back on them and rely on them if I needed to.’

Bridgerton season 4 volume 1 premieres on Thursday January 29 on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres on Thursday February 26.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.