Dear gentle “Bridgerton” viewers – rejoice, because a new prequel series about Lady Violet is coming to Netflix.
An untitled spinoff series following the early life of the future matriarch of the Bridgerton clan is in the works, the streamer and Shondaland announced Thursday. Shonda Rhimes and Nicholas Nardini will write and serve as showrunners on the limited series, which will tell the story of young Lady Violet’s love affair with her future husband, Viscount Edmund Bridgerton.
The series will be the second spinoff set in the sprawling world of the popular Regency romance, following the 2023 prequel series “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” which follows the eponymous queen’s early days of marriage to King George III.
Portrayed by Ruth Gemmell in the flagship series, Lady Violet is the mother of the eight Bridgerton siblings, whose individual adventures in (and around) the marriage market are the focus of the show. A younger version of the character played by Connie Jenkins-Greig also appeared in the “Queen Charlotte” prequel. The cast of the untitled Lady Violet prequel has not yet been announced.
Based on Julia Quinn’s popular book series, “Bridgerton” has received critical acclaim from audiences since its premiere in 2020. The first four seasons follow the lustful, happily-ever-after lives of the eldest Bridgerton siblings, Daphne, Anthony, Colin and Benedict. Production on the fifth season of the series, which will tell the love story of Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), is currently underway in London.
In addition to Rhimes and Nardini, who also wrote on “Scandal,” “Queen Charlotte” and “Inventing Anna,” frequent Rhimes collaborator Tom Verica will direct and executive produce the upcoming miniseries. Shondaland’s Betsy Beers is also an executive producer.