Dearest gentle readers: This article contains spoilers for Bridgerton.
The author of Bridgerton has defended a major twist in the season finale, which fans have branded as a ‘social agenda’.
Author of the Bridgerton books, Julia Quinn, has put out a statement defending the finale episode that, quite frankly, nobody saw coming.
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If you haven’t caught up yet, there is a major change to how one of the characters was written in the book, and some fans are not happy about it.
In the season finale, we are introduced to Francesca’s new husband, John's cousin, Michaela.
For those that haven’t read the books that the TV show is based on, Francesca marries John, and they're very happy up until his death.
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After his death, Francesca and his cousin Michael end up falling in love a few years later.
In the Netflix series, Michael has undergone a gender change to become Michaela.
And while many fans were delighted about the series becoming more inclusive, some claimed the show was pushing a ‘social agenda’.
Julia Quinn has now posted a statement on social media, defending the decision to change Michael’s gender for the TV adaptation.
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She said: “I am deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen.
“But switching the gender of a major character is a huge change, and so when Jess Brownell first approached me with the idea of turning Michael into Michaela for the show, I needed more information before conferring my agreement.”
Despite being wary of the decision at first, she added: “I'm confident now that when Francesca has her Bridgerton season, it will be the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show.
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“Honestly, it may pack even more of a punch, since John is getting a lot more time on the screen than he ever did on the page, and I think it's fair to say we've all fallen a little bit in love with him.”
She thanked the fans for their support, but requested that they trust the decisions made for the story by herself and the production team.
She added: “I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward.
“I think we are going to end up with two stories, one on page and one on screen, and they will both be beautiful and moving.”
Topics: Bridgerton, Netflix
Mia Williams