Bridgerton boss reveals spicy Luke Thompson stairwell scene detail was 'improvised'
5 February 2026, 17:25 | Updated: 6 February 2026, 15:16
The iconic moment from the Benedict and Sophie scene wasn't in the original script.
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Another season of Bridgerton and another improvised moment has left viewers sweating over how hot and spicy it is.
Bridgerton is no stranger to steamy sex scenes. In the first three seasons, Simon and Daphne, Anthony and Kate, and Penelope and Colin all have their fair share of raunchy rendezvous. Bridgerton season 3 famously left fans sweating with Penelope and Colin's carriage scene with fans living for a detail that Luke Newton came up with himself.
Luke Newton isn't the only Bridgerton actor with a gift for adding off-the-cuff pizzaz to scenes though. Bridgerton season 4 part 1 ends with a VERY racy interaction between Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha) and now showrunner Jess Brownell has revealed that Luke Thompson improvised the spiciest part of it.
- Read more: Bridgerton season 4's Yerin Ha explains Sophie's important last name change
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In Bridgerton season 4 episode 4, Benedict goes to confront Sophie over his uncontrollable feelings for her. The two collide on a staircase and star passionately kissing. Benedict then takes Sophie's coat of and picks her up. Benedict then puts his fingers in his mouth before putting his hand under Sophie's skirt and his fingers...elsewhere.
On Benedict putting his fingers in his mouth, Jess told Glamour: "So, that wasn’t scripted. It was my idea, because I love the moment last season where Colin, after he has been as intimate with Penelope in the carriage, removes his hands from between her legs, only uses the dry fingers to fix her dress. That was all Luke Newton."
She then added: "But the way that people responded to that, I was like, “What is that moment this season? What is the physical moment that people go, ‘That's so realistic to things that happen in intimate moments’?” And I’ve not often seen someone licking their fingers before they touch someone on screen."
Jess continued: "I think it’s a very real thing that happened; especially if someone knows what they’re doing."
Explaining Benedict and Sophie's finger moment further, she said: "And I think Benedict is someone who knows what he’s doing. So I asked Luke in rehearsal if he would be cool with it and he was like, “Yeah, let’s do it.”"
Jess ended by saying: "I’m proud of that moment...If any person who’s watching our show is like, 'Oh, a little extra moisture is a good idea', I’m like, ‘Good for you.' That’s a good thing we can teach the world."
What do you think? Are you glad the scene was amended?
Read more about Bridgerton here:
- Who is Michaela Stirling in Bridgerton? Francesca's Michael Stirling book change explained
- Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor reveals she hasn't been asked to return for season 4
- Bridgerton's Claudia Jessie says there's "definitely room" for Eloise to be queer
- Bridgerton's Brimsley actor confirms Reynolds is still alive and will return
- Bridgerton renewed for seasons 5 and 6 but fans will have to wait years to watch them
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