Contains Bridgerton book spoilers
Penelope Bridgerton may have set down her quill, but Lady Whistledown is far from finished.
Part two of Bridgerton season four sees Penelope step away from her scandal sheet. Yet peace in Mayfair never lasts long. Just as society begins adjusting to life without its sharpest observer, a fresh edition of Whistledown lands, shocking everyone – Penelope included.
“Are you perhaps feeling a little shocked?” the familiar voice purrs – still delivered by Julie Andrews, albeit with a subtle shift (more on that below). “You thought I was gone for good, but far too much transpires for this author to remain silent. It is assuredly a reunion rooted in care and love. Though this time with a very different author.”
So, if Penelope is truly out of the gossip game, who is the new Lady Whistledown? Here are the biggest clues and our theories on who might now be hiding behind the ink.
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Who is the new Lady Whistledown? Spoilers and theories
It may be a while before the new Lady Whistledown is unveiled, but showrunner Jess Brownell has teased what’s to come.
Speaking to Tudum, she explained: “Penelope was Julia Quinn’s Whistledown, so we knew we couldn’t really play with that reveal for too long because people could just Google it. But now, we get to play with audience expectations.”
She continued: “Starting with Genevieve, the modiste in season one, to Penelope as Lady Whistledown, and now looking at Sophie as a maid, it’s really key for us to explore the lives of these women who do work, because it’s a time period in which women had so few options and so little agency.
“Showing that there were women who didn’t just settle for what was handed to them, but tried their very best to make more of their station – it broadens the female experience in the show.”
Julie Andrews’ voice
Fans have noticed that Julie Andrews’ voice sounds slightly different at the end of season four, when she introduces the “new” author – and some think it could be a major clue to her identity.
“Did the Julie Andrews voiceover at the end sound off to anyone else?” one user asked on Reddit. Another replied: “People are saying it was on purpose – to show that Lady Whistledown might now be someone from a lower social class, so her dialect is different.”
Interesting indeed.
Hyacinth 
Netflix
Many fans believe the youngest Bridgerton sister could be behind the new Whistledown.
Towards the end of season four, Hyacinth declares that she no longer wants love, insisting it only leads to pain. Her words come in the wake of John’s death, which reopens wounds surrounding her father’s passing before she was even born. It’s a surprisingly hardened stance from one of the ton’s most romantic spirits.
Book readers will know she does eventually finds love, but could this temporary retreat from matters of the heart leave her with time (and motive) to turn her attention elsewhere? Namely, to a certain scandal sheet?
From a young age, Hyacinth has relished society and all its intrigue. This season, she even sneaks into Cressida’s ball disguised as a maid, proving she can move undetected when she wants.
A bruised romantic with a sharp mind and something to prove? Not the wildest theory the ton has ever heard.
Related StoriesEloise 
Netflix
Another Bridgerton sister who has been tipped as the new Whistledown is Eloise. Sharp, articulate, and perpetually lost in a book, she has all the brains and wit the role demands. As Penelope’s best friend, she likely knows the scandal sheet inside and out, making her a strong contender.
She’s also familiar with the printing shop, a detail she discovered in a previous season while trying to unmask Lady Whistledown herself. While she might seem like the obvious guess, it’s one many fans would cheer for. That said, with season five expected to focus on her own love story, she might not have much time to moonlight as a gossip columnist.
Violet Bridgerton
Netflix
In season four, Violet ultimately calls off her wedding to Lord Anderson, choosing instead to reconnect with the untamed, spirited version of herself she once was. What better way to reclaim that playful, mischievous energy than by spilling society’s secrets in a tantalising gossip column? She certainly held her own against Lady Araminta Gun after Sophie’s arrest.
Mrs Varley 
Netflix
Everyone knows Mrs Varley enjoys gossip, and Portia Featherington is no stranger to it either. Now that they’re reunited, could they have teamed up to write the column together?
Queen Charlotte
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While it might seem a little out there – after all, she is The Queen – if anyone thrives on gossip, it’s her. Now that Lady Danbury has stepped back, she’ll need something to keep herself occupied and we can think of one very obvious way – Whistledown. Fans are already speculating it could be her, with one commenting: “It sounds more like Queen Charlotte rather than Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) to me.”
Cressida Penwood
Netflix
She’s only just returned to the ton, but Cressida did lie about being Lady Whistledown before. Perhaps this time she could take on the role for real. With Penelope stepping down at her own party and deflecting the spotlight, this could be the perfect chance for Cressida to make her mark.
Lady Danbury
Netflix
Could Lady Danbury’s sudden exit from London actually be hiding a bigger secret – that she’s the new Lady Whistledown? Plenty of fans think so.
After the season four finale, one viewer commented that the slightly different voice sounded just like Lady Danbury, while another insisted it’s always sounded like her.
“It always sounded like Lady Danbury to me. I was surprised when I found out it was Julie haha,” one fan wrote.
Maybe Julie Andrews and Lady Danbury just happen to have similar tones, but you have to admit, it’s a tempting theory
Penelope
Netflix
Yes, she “stepped down,” but Penelope’s main problem was that Lady Whistledown’s public identity made it tricky to keep spilling the tea. Maybe her announcement was just a clever cover, allowing her to continue writing in secret. At the end of season four, Colin caught her scribbling and she told him it was her novel, but what if it wasn’t? Could it all be a very sneaky cover-up?
Bridgerton season 1-4 are available to stream on Netflix.
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