If you want to watch top pitching in high school baseball this season, stop by a Bay League game. During Thursday’s media day at Mira Costa, three outstanding senior pitchers look physically and emotionally prepared to show how good they are.
Garrett Jacobs from Mira Costa, a UCLA commit, Robby Zimmerman from Redondo Union, a UCLA commit, and Kai Van Scoyoc, a USC commit, are coming off good junior seasons. Add junior Jonah Cohen, a UCLA commit at Palos Verdes, and you have to feel sympathy for Bay League hitters this season.
Jacobs was the best of all last season, going 11-1. He had 103 strikeouts and 13 walks in 70 innings. Zimmerman, a 6-foot-6 left-hander, is the best pro prospect because of his size and potential. Van Scoyoc and Cohen will be a formidable one-two duo for Palos Verdes. They all know and like each other, so it should be fun for fans and players when they face off.
Zimmerman is a cousin of Redondo Union girls’ volleyball standout Abby Zimmerman. Most of the Zimmermans are volleyball players except for Robby and brother Danny, who used to play baseball at Michigan. Yet invite him to the beach and he’ll be happy to join in the family fun using his size to his advantage.
Torrance and West Torrance also figure to be competitive in the Bay League. Torrance returns its top pitcher in junior Aiden Anaya, who’s playing soccer right now. Joey Kim is expected to be a key pitcher for West Torrance.
Mira Costa players have the advantage of walking around or going to the store and running into a Dodger or pro player in Manhattan Beach. The school is holding its alumni game on Saturday and honoring five grads who have played in the major leagues in Kyle Karros, Chase Meidroth, Petey Halpin, Joe Moeller and Jim Pena.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
The brief preview clip, shown after viewers complete season four, episode four, reunites audiences with fan favourites Anthony (portrayed by Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley), reports the Manchester Evening News.
The couple are shown relaxing on a bed with their newborn baby, following confirmation that Kate had given birth in India during the Viscount and Viscountess’s travels abroad.
The pair, affectionately dubbed ‘Kanthony’ by devoted fans, appear utterly content with their precious bundle nestled between them.
Fans have already flocked to Reddit to share their reactions to the heartwarming scene, particularly after some had expressed disappointment about the limited Kanthony content in Netflix’s earlier season four trailer.
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One delighted viewer shared a screenshot of the adorable infant on Reddit, writing: “Makes me broody for another one”, accompanied by two crying emojis.
Another commented: “Looks like a little girl with those eyelashes.”
A third gushed: “THAT KANTHONY BABY IS GORGEOUSSSSSS OMMMMGGG [sic]”, whilst a fourth fan remarked: “I devoured the first part. Absolutely incredible. So glad Kanthony have finally made an appearance as well. But oh my the chemistry between Benophie [sic].”
The newly released trailer reveals Benedict Bridgerton (portrayed by Luke Thompson) proposing that maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) become his mistress, prompting her to storm off in bewilderment and revulsion.
Yet the sneak peek at season four, part two, hints that Benedict may choose to defy society’s strict conventions and pursue his true feelings.
In a pivotal moment, Benedict confides in Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe): “There is a woman. She is not a person of any rank, and I have upset her.”
Will responds with crucial advice: “No matter her rank, no woman truly desires to be hidden.”
These words could prove the catalyst for Benedict’s transformation.
Nevertheless, the preview teases plenty of tension, with Sophie and Benedict sharing longing yet strained looks as they navigate society’s expectations.
Sophie appears determined to depart Bridgerton House, attempting to convince Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) that her choice isn’t influenced by “anyone” in the residence.
Yet Violet clearly senses there’s something deeper to Sophie’s story and is intent on uncovering the truth – but will she manage before the maid departs?
The trailer builds to a crescendo with Lady Whistledown’s words: “Dearest Gentle reader, there are moments in our lives when we arrive at a crossroads.”
However, her words aren’t solely aimed at Benedict’s predicament, but also touch upon Violet’s blossoming romance with Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis), Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) emerging feelings for Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), and Lady Danbury’s (Adjoa Andoh) choice to embark on travels rather than continuing as a lady’s maid to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel).
There’s also an exchange between Violet and Benedict, where she questions her son: “Will you sacrifice your family? Whatever you choose, you must live with it forever. We all will.”
Considering Violet’s steadfast conviction in love above everything else, she may be encouraging Benedict to pursue his heart whilst ensuring he understands the ramifications of his choice.
Bridgerton season 4, part 2 will be released on Netflix on February 26
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EUGENE, Ore. — Tyler Bilodeau had 18 points, Eric Daily Jr. had his second double-double this season, and UCLA beat shorthanded Oregon 73-57 on Wednesday night to extend the Ducks’ losing streak to seven games.
Dailey finished with 14 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds. Donovan Dent scored 11 of his 15 in the second half for UCLA (15-6, 7-3 Big Ten) and Trent Perry, who was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting before halftime, added 12 points.
The Bruins have won three in a row and five of their last six.
Kwame Evans Jr. led Oregon (8-13, 1-9) with 24 points, which included four three-pointers, and nine rebounds. Nate Bittle, Jackson Shelstad and Takai Simpkins — who are first (16.3 per game), second (15.6) and fourth (12.4), respectively, on the team in scoring this season — did not play for the Ducks due to injuries.
Evans made a layup to open the scoring 10 seconds into the game but UCLA scored the next eight points to take the lead for good. Bilodeau scored seven points in a 13-2 run that made it 26-13 with 7:08 left in the first half.
The Ducks, who started one-of-11 shooting, shot just 25% (eight of 32) from the field, four of 17 (24%) from three-point range, in the first half.
UCLA has won four straight in the series and is 98-42 against the Ducks.
Dailey threw down an alley-oop dunk that gave UCLA its biggest lead at 44-24 with 16:46 left in the game. Evans scored the Ducks’ first seven points in a 12-2 run that trimmed the deficit to 10 about 3 1/2 minutes later, but Oregon got no closer.
UCLA made 20 of 23 from the free-throw line, where the Ducks went six of nine.
This article contains spoilers for Part 1 of Season 4 of “Bridgerton.”
Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha are lounging on a blue velvet couch in a swanky green room inside of Netflix’s offices in New York, bracing for the whirlwind that inevitably envelops every pair of actors who become the central couple in a season of the popular romance drama “Bridgerton.” And they’re still settling into the idea of being romantic leads.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Ha says fresh into their first press day in early December. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger. To keep saying that I’m the lead of a season feels really bizarre.”
“But maybe that’s a way of coping with it,” Thompson says. “I remember in Season 1, I just finished a Zoom call and I just sat in my living room and it was the first time I really touched into the idea that millions of people are watching this thing. Millions of people. And I never did it again.”
“You just did it for me now,” Ha says with a smidgen of dread that launches the pair into laughter. “That’s not really helping.”
Thompson, though, isn’t feeling the pressure of keeping the romance alive and extremely meme-able as they take up the mantle of the Regency-era fairy tale.
“It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “It was a genre that might have been, not looked down on, but not really taken very seriously. To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
The duo play Benedict and Sophie, affectionately dubbed #Benophie, a couple whose story gives the classic Cinderella tale a bit of steam and is one that readers of Julia Quinn’s “An Offer From a Gentleman,” which inspired this season, know well. Thompson’s Benedict, whom “Bridgerton” viewers have come to know as the artistic, pansexual second-oldest son of the Bridgerton clan, has long shown disinterest in settling down or adhering to societal norms. But then in Part 1 of Season 4, released Thursday, he meets Sophie Baek, a maid in her abusive stepmother’s home, at a masquerade ball hosted by his mother. Viewers eventually learn Sophie’s servitude is forced after her parentage is revealed — she’s the illegitimate daughter of an earl.
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton during their masquerade ball meet-cute in Season 4.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Showrunner Jess Brownell says this season, they were is interested in prodding the wish-fulfillment fantasy many of us were introduced to at a young age.
“We learn about them as children from Disney movies,” she says. “For us, though, in interacting with this trope, it was really important to interrogate it a little bit. I think what our interrogation hopefully reveals is that oftentimes it’s the prince figure or the man of a ‘higher station’ who … needs to do some work on himself, to step out of his fantasy life a little bit and step more into reality to be worthy of the love of a Cinderella-type. It’s not to say that the Sophie character doesn’t have her own journey to go on, I think that she absolutely has to let her walls down and has to allow herself to dream of and believe in the possibility of love.”
Over a video call from that cozy couch inside Netflix’s offices, Thompson and Ha discussed navigating the spotlight as the newest “Bridgerton” couple, this season’s very unromantic declaration of love and trying to capture a swoon-worthy meet-cute behind an oversized mask.
The excitement for this season is already in full effect. How are you feeling about Benophie as the couple name? Am I even pronouncing it right?
Thompson: I don’t know!
Ha: I think that is right. I initially said Ben-off-ee like Banoffee pie, but then I realized it wouldn’t make sense because it’s So-fee. So Ben-o-fee would make more sense.
Thompson: There’s been a couple of fun AI pictures.
Ha: I actually just got one yesterday from my mom about our kids, our future kids. [Thompson laughs.] And I was like, “Mom, why are you on the internet looking at these things?” So it’s really out there, and I’m really being fed it out of my own will, but it’s amazing to see people already so excited about it and wanting to create things and future possibilities. It’s quite amazing. And the fans are actually so lovely.
Thompson: I think that’s one of the best things about social media, actually; that whole aspect of people projecting or imagining themselves or creating stuff sometimes. That’s something that we never used to be able to really get a handle on, but to be able to see the amount of energy and thought that people put into it is kind of amazing.
Ha: Also creative artistry. So many fans are drawing, sketching. It’s incredible. The amount of talent that people just share with us, it’s really beautiful.
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2
3
4
1.The “Bridgerton” couples over the seasons: Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page) and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) in Season 1.2.Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) in Season 2.3.Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) in Season 3.4.Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) in Season 4.(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Luke, you’ve had three seasons to observe how others have taken on this mantle. Did Jonathan or Luke impart any words of wisdom as you stepped into lead duties? Did you have any observations in watching them navigate the spotlight and the intensity of this?
They were always very, very open to offering advice — Regé[-Jean Page, who led the first season as Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings], as well; all three of them. That’s been really, really helpful to know that it’s there. In terms of observing them, that’s why I’ve had a bit of a lucky ride, really, because I got to watch them. I mean this in a positive way — Regé is very serious. There’s something about the nature of the show that could encourage you to be a bit more light about it, but I think he really took it very seriously. Johnny [Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton] has this amazing energy that’s extremely contagious. I watched that and how that affects the atmosphere on set. And then Luke [Newton, who plays Colin Bridgerton] is very sensitive and he’s very careful and clued in terms of how and when he expresses himself. I’m so lucky I got to watch all of them do it and admire them and think about them and think also about how it would work for me.
What about you, Yerin? You’re a newcomer to this fictional world being thrown into the deep end. Did you get any useful feedback from Nicola Coughlan or Simone Ashley?
I didn’t have the years of looking at the other leads actually experience it. But Nicola and Simone, from the get-go when I was cast, they offered to give me advice and be like, “We’re here for you if you need it.” But the thing about it is, everyone is so different and unique with what they actually struggle with and what is going to be their challenge. I didn’t really know what I wanted advice about, but it was just always so nice and supportive to know that they were there if I needed them. But also, Luke, who was my main scene partner, was in “Bridgerton” for years, so I was able to also lean on him and also the other fellow castmates if I felt insecure or if I didn’t really know how to go about things.
Luke Thompson on “Bridgerton”: “It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
This being “Bridgerton,” the chemistry between Benedict and Sophie is so crucial to the magic of their story and how it develops over time. Tell me about the chemistry read. What do you remember about meeting each other?
Thompson: It was like this.
Ha: You’re third wheeling with us.
Thompson: It was on Zoom.
Ha: I was in Korea. It was 11 p.m. and I was trying to manage my nerves the entire day, which was quite stressful. And then I logged on, you [Thompson] were there. You had a striped shirt on, I remember — quite vividly, actually. I said that he looked quite tired. Maybe it was me projecting, thinking that he was having lots of auditions, reading with lots of people by then.
Thompson: I’m trying to think how many; we hadn’t auditioned that many people because it’s a very particular part. What we were asking or looking for was fairly particular. That’s the other thing I thought: How are we going to be able to do a chemistry read on Zoom? With all the awkwardness of doing it on Zoom — having to pretend that you’re turning your back and there’s a lake and having to sort of mime in front of the camera is so, so cheesy — despite all of that, I just remember reading scenes with you and feeling very relaxed. You know it when you see it. As soon as the Zoom call ended, I told you, Tom Verica [an executive producer and a director of the series] was a bit teary, and we were like, “Well, obviously it’s her.”
Ha: Obviously the stakes are so high on my end, because he’s already in the show, so I was so focused on just trying to be present and not trying to force anything. I think that’s when it gets a little bit weird. I just remember looking at you in the screen, and Luke’s such an open person anyways, and so it was quite easy to do the scene, despite that there was lots of interjections in the audition scene that we had to do, but we just pushed through.
What were the scenes that you had to do together that day? The lake scene —
Thompson: The lake scene and the tea scene. Just two.
In Season 4, viewers know Sophie (Yerin Ha) is the lady whom Benedict (Luke Thompson) meets at the masquerade ball, but he hasn’t connected the dots when they meet again later.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
In the world of romance, how two characters meet is often as important as how they get together. And the masquerade ball holds a lot of excitement and expectations for fans of the book. How did you feel tackling that scene? Did the masks help alleviate any nerves?
Ha: For me, it was a bit more pressure in the sense that my mask is so big [Thompson laughs], it’s hard to actually be quite expressive when your cheekbones are hidden under this mask. I just remember sometimes Tom would be like, “You got to express more with your eyes and your lips.”
Thompson: It’s basically like you were wearing a paper bag.
Ha: Yes! So, that was a challenge, but also, in a way, sometimes masks make you feel a little bit invincible … Sophie, especially in that night, the mask makes her brave and courageous; when she takes off the physical mask, that’s when the metaphorical mask actually comes into play.
Thompson: You’re right. The mask thing is integral to how they both meet. They even talk about it when they’re on the gazebo, the terrace; they have that whole scene where it is all about asking questions, not answering questions. To Benedict, [with] Sophie you’re constantly like, “Is she in earnest? Does she actually not know how to dance? Is she joking that she doesn’t know how to dance? Is she playing the role of someone?” There’s so many different questions about it — and I think that’s what’s so romantic about it. It’s so recognizable because that’s always what love at first sight is. It’s not that in that moment, two people completely see each other; there’s a game that starts happening. It’s all about what they allow the other to see or not, and sometimes there’s these really nice bits where they keep missing each other. There’s that amazing bit … when she’s spying through the door, and then just as she leaves, Benedict looks. It’s the pattern of their relationship, it’s how it’s always been — and it starts in this amazing little dream.
I imagine there was there a lot of discussions on what these masks should look like?
Ha: Yes. The costume team are incredible; they had, like, five different versions of it. Some of it was just completely covering my face with material. And then they were like, “Maybe not.” Because obviously Benedict sees her later as Sophie, and so why doesn’t he recognize her? They had to play this really fine line. But they are so creative and quick to change and adapt and bring in new designs. It turned out really beautifully.
Thompson: One of my fears actually reading the book was, “Oh, is it going to seem a little silly [that] Benedict doesn’t recognize her?” But actually, it’s so ornate, the mask is such a thing. When I since watched the episodes, I was like, yeah, I buy that he can see and feel something. He just can’t put it together.
Yerin Ha on becoming a leading lady in “Bridgerton”: “It doesn’t feel real,” she says. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
Yerin, our first glimpse of you as Sophie was as she’s putting on the mask — she’s a mystery to both Benedict and the viewers in that first episode, but we come to learn her story, which has echoes of Cinderella. What excited you about Sophie?
Ha: The thing for me is Sophie’s character and morals; it’s the fact that despite all the obstacles and the challenges, she’s still able to lead and live the world with a really caring heart. She’s still witty and she still has a bit of humor to her. But to be honest with you, the thing for me that I really connected with Sophie was her journey and discovery into self-love and knowing that she’s also deserving of it. That’s something I, at least, talk about a lot with my friends — and what does self-love look like and feel like and mean to me? I learned a lot through Sophie, as well, and knowing that it’s who you decide to bring into your life. Love is not just in someone, it’s about the people in the community that you created.
Benedict’s sexuality, his fluidity, has been something the writers have explored in building his overall arc. How will that be discussed or addressed as his relationship with Sophie develops?
Thompson: It’s a tricky one, right? Benedict is quite striking as a character — I can understand why people see all sorts of identities and words that would apply to him in a modern context. A lot of particularly male sexuality, generally, can be portrayed in quite a box-y, angsty way — where it’s like, “Oh, you’re either gay or you’re straight, or this or that.” What’s nice about a character is that it’s a unique construction. It’s not a representation of any particular experience. It seems like, for him, his sexuality isn’t necessarily a big determiner of his identity; it is a symptom of him wanting to explore. He’s curious and he’s open. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re truly open, that means you can form a connection with anyone. You could argue that it’s a force that has kept him, so far, at least, in a relentless chase for freedom and dodging the falling in love part, and I think I’m more interested in that.
About that — let’s get into his misguided declaration of love at the end of Part I. You read the books, you knew it was coming. It was the moment we‘ve come to expect from this show — until the last line where he asks her to be his mistress. How did you decide to play that moment?
Thompson: It is contextual, historically. There’s that scene in the Gentleman’s Club where, clearly, he can see that there are people who have that arrangement and do love each other. But I also think that’s a cop-out. That’s maybe trying to soften what is essentially Benedict’s main flaw. He’s been shown to be caring in many ways. But I also think the problem with someone like that is, if you’re charming to everyone, how can you develop something specific with one person? All of his front makes it very difficult for him to fall for someone, and to really engage and really commit to someone. Him saying that thing can be seen as him trying to have his cake and eat it — like, I’m going to splice the sort of fantasy I’ve got and the real world, and just mash it together and that will work.
He’s a bit blind. Season 4 is about his blindness, literally, in terms of recognizing her, but also that he can’t see that that wouldn’t be a perfect solution. He is maybe a bit blind about it and doesn’t necessarily consider how that might feel for Sophie. I would also say that he doesn’t have the information he needs from Sophie at that stage about being the lady in silver, which is an interesting tension. It’s fascinating because it’s a really dumb move from a character that you wouldn’t necessarily think would come from a character like that, but actually, to me, it makes complete sense that it would come from him. Benedict’s dad died very early, so he has an image of a loving relationship as something pretty terrifying, so you can understand why he’d want to avoid that, or want to find his way to escape the real commitment … but also have his cake.
Yerin, how did you feel about it?
Ha: I was so disappointed. I remember when we were doing the scene, I did actually feel genuinely angry. Benedict lives more in the fantasy realm, and Sophie definitely lives in more of the reality realm, but in that moment, it’s almost like she’s getting drunk on his words. She’s almost imagining as if there’s going to be a proposal, even though she knows that back in those days, that wouldn’t even really work. But she’s hoping and dreaming. But the minute he says that, she wakes up and she realizes, “Actually, this can never be”; her walls are back up. It almost takes her back to a place of her childhood and how she feels as a kid … It brings a lot of trauma back for her. I just remember doing that scene and feeling like I wanted to slap Benedict.
Thompson: We should have tried it. One take. I think people would have loved that.
At the end of Part 1, Thompson’s and Ha’s characters share a declaration of love gone wrong: “I remember when we were doing the scene, I did actually feel genuinely angry,” Ha says.
(Tyler Twins / For The Times)
Did you work with an intimacy coordinator for that scene? How was it to film that first moment of intimacy between the characters?
Ha: It was really hot on the set — literally, metaphorically. It was hot. It was the candles, and the air traveled up and it was a tiny, narrow set. But Lizzie, our intimacy coordinator, she is the best, she is incredible. There’s different ways that you can kind of go about it, where it’s paint by numbers or a blueprint, and just find your way to like A, B and C, which is more the vibe that we went through. She’s so amazing in the energy and space that she creates. She guides us and listens to each of us and what we need and how to make it maybe look a little bit nicer or rougher or whatever it is. I really lean on her as an intimacy coordinator, and felt very safe in those scenes because it is quite vulnerable and exposing.
Thompson: It was a security blanket, isn’t it? It’s just nice having someone to monitor it, so you’re not just stuck, just you two, or you and the director, who sometimes, in my previous … experience, directors are often quite embarrassed about those scenes, which drives me mad because I’m like, “You’re not the one that has to do this.” It’s all about trust. It’s very important to have that person there to facilitate and to have an outside eye on it because what feels good doesn’t necessarily look good. You need to have them choreographed because the actors can only really relate from the inside out, so they don’t know what stories being told outside.
This season’s story has hints of “Cinderella” in it. Did you channel any classic romance heroes, heroines or stories as you prepped?
Thompson: The masquerade ball made me think about Romeo and Juliet a lot. It’s Romeo and Juliet-coded, the way they meet and just going off somewhere private. I don’t think consciously, I thought about that, but when we were doing it, it really brought that into my head.
Ha: I guess because it’s the constant “Cinderella” nod, I really relied heavily on “Cinderella.” It does veer off from the “Cinderella” story. And I do want to acknowledge that it’s a starting point, not the actual plot line. She was my favorite princess growing up. I had a full dress with a Cinderella icon on it. I would wear that every second day.
Thompson: That’s so sweet.
Ha: I just wanted to meet my prince.
The first half ends with Benedict and Sophie at a crossroads, an impasse.
Thompson: Benedict and Sophie meet in dream scenarios. They meet in the masquerade ball, which is Sophie’s dream. Then they meet in [Benedict’s] cottage, which is sort of Benedict’s dream place. Then in [Episode] 4, they have to go back to the ton and the real world. It’s a struggle that everyone knows very well, when you fall for someone, and there’s the honeymoon period where you’re spinning this story together. Then it’s like, how do you deal with the real world, and how do you deal with getting bored with each other or getting angry with one another? It’ll be interesting to see how they find each other again.
Ha: Even reading the scripts, I was like, how are they going to make this work, especially acknowledging the class difference as well, nobility and her being a servant. Fans will really want to see how it all plays out. When society tells you can’t be with someone, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to surrender to that or are you going to fight for it? That’s going to be the journey for Part 2.
With any fandom, parasocial relationships form. There’s an attachment and shipping of fictional characters, but it can sometimes extend to the actors outside of the characters. How do you navigate that?
Ha: I think we’re just being us. What’s really lovely about Luke is that I have so much love for him as a human being, but I can’t control what people project and I can’t control what people will think and create a narrative and story. But I know my truth, and I know that I respect Luke as a human, as an actor, as a colleague, as a friend. We’re very professional, but we’re also good friends.
Thompson: That’s right. It’s nice to have stuff projected on you — that’s the joy of being an actor. You want people to look at you, want them to get lost in some idea of you. My point of view is always to absolutely welcome that and also say, but I don’t have to set the record straight for anyone. It’s their show. Even when I meet fans in the street, I don’t really think, “Oh, they’re coming for me.” They’re seeing the show. It’s a slightly overused word, but it is just about getting those boundaries straight in your head. You can’t really enjoy the attention that you get from fans because you think it’s coming for you. But actually, if you’ve got that nice boundary, you get to enjoy the attention from the fans.
Here’s the lowdown on exactly when you can watch Bridgerton season four, part two and what to expect from the second batch of episodes.
When is Bridgerton season 4 part 2 on Netflix?
Bridgerton season four, episode five will be hitting Netflix on Thursday, February 26 when fans will be getting another four episodes to savour.
The release schedule for season four mirrors that of the third outing after Netflix started splitting up its biggest shows to maintain its subscriber base.
Netflix recently released the episode titles for season four, part two, which marks the second half of the fourth run.
The episode titles are as follows: Episode 5: Yes or No; Episode 6: The Passing Winter; Episode 7: The Beyond; and Episode 8: Dance in the Country.
Season four is adapted from Julia Quinn’s third Bridgerton novel An Offer from a Gentleman and those familiar with the book might be able to guess what the episode titles allude to in terms of the plot.
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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Bridgerton.
What happens in Bridgerton season 4 part 1?
WARNING: This section contains spoilers from Bridgerton season 4, part 1
Season four, part two will see what happens between Sophie Baek (played by Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and their blossoming romance. Despite their attempts to avoid each other, the sparks flew between them.
Benedict was also in the dark about Sophie’s complicated past, something which could come to light in the latter half of the season.
Season four, part two is also expected to address whether or not Benedict will find out if Sophie is also the Lady in Silver, and if that could have a bearing on whether he would want to marry her.
Another storyline in season four, part two will likely be Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) burgeoning sexuality.
Season three previously hinted at Francesca’s feelings towards female rake Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), when she was left tongue-tied during their first meeting.
Finally, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and her decision to become a spinster and be “left on the shelf” will be delved into further as the headstrong Bridgerton daughter might find herself fettered by the constraints of society given in her single status.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview, Bridgerton’s showrunner Jess Brownell teased season four and Sophie’s arc: “We get to watch a very headstrong young woman try to decide her fate for herself and pick up the courage to believe in and dream for a life greater than the one she currently has.”
Brownell went on to say that the novel was the “easiest” one to adapt because the structure lent itself “really closely” to ones seen on the small screen.
The writer added: “There are just a lot of rich set pieces that gave us juicy conflict and high stakes. I think fans will be happy to see quite a few of the set pieces from the book in the show.”
Once season four, part two has wrapped up, fans can look forward to both seasons four and five, which are already in the pipeline with Brownell confirming to Deadline that Eloise and Francesca’s stories will be the focus of each of the outings but couldn’t confirm the order.
Given that the television adaptation has already broken with the order of the novels, there’s nothing to stop the sixth novel When He Was Wicked from being first and focusing on Francesca’s love story.
To Sir Phillip, With Love is book five in the series and focuses on Eloise.
Bridgerton season 4, part 1 is streaming on Netflix now
Junior Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian has upped her scoring average this season. She’s No. 2 in the state with an average of 32.8 points a game. Virtually any college team in the country would welcome her with open arms.
There’s others making an impact in the scoring department this season, according to stats posted on MaxPreps.com.
Aryanna Reyes of Whittier Pioneer is at 30.1 points for 14 games.
Leqi Zhen of L.A. Lincoln is averaging 28.9 points in 10 games.
Rancho Christian freshman Addison Archer is averaging 27.0 points in 22 games.
Darby Dunn of Canyon Country Canyon has had some big scoring nights and is at 26.2 points over 25 games. Tatyana Aubry of Leuzinger is averaging 24.8 points over 25 games.
Ventura’s Kailee Staniland is averaging 23.3 points. Savannah Myles of Westchester is at 22.2 points through 19 games.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Just like his famously inventive offenses, Mike McDaniel had many options.
He interviewed for several head coaching jobs after his four-year tenure in charge of the Miami Dolphins ended this month, and he could have been an offensive coordinator pretty much anywhere he pleased.
McDaniel still wants to be a head coach again someday, but he chose to join the Chargers alongside Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert because the combination of time, place and personnel seemed perfect for this idiosyncratic coach who also happens to be one of the top offensive minds in football.
“It didn’t take long for me to feel this is what I was looking for,” the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator said Tuesday. “You just want to be a part of a hungry organization with like-minded football people that are doing anything and everything to win. And for me, the opportunity to work with coach Harbaugh was too good to pass up. It felt like I was extremely fortunate to be afforded this opportunity.”
Harbaugh and the Chargers seem equally fortunate to land McDaniel, an ideal candidate for the crucial job of directing Herbert’s career into something worthy of his prodigious talent.
In his introductory news conference, McDaniel immediately went into great detail about what he wants to do for Herbert, who has thrown for 24,820 yards and 163 touchdowns while emerging as one of the NFL’s top passers in his six seasons with the Chargers.
“You have a competitive player that each and every year is trying to get better at his craft, (but) I think he hasn’t neared the ceiling to what he’s capable of,” McDaniel said.
Herbert has consistently shined despite playing with three permanent head coaches, four offensive coordinators and a changing collection of playmakers and linemen around him.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambles against the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card playoffs on Jan. 11.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Despite playing in some offensive schemes perceived to be relatively primitive by modern NFL standards, particularly in the past two years under Harbaugh and fired coordinator Greg Roman, Herbert has frequently carried the Chargers through his improvisation, arm strength and sheer competitive will.
Essentially, McDaniel doesn’t want Herbert to have to work so hard.
“There’s a lot of incredible plays Justin has made,” McDaniel said. “He’s firmly capable, and sometimes as a coach you can rely upon that a little too much. … It can be taxing over time for a player to necessitate an incredible play too often, so you try to take it off of him by creating some low-cost, high-reward offense that he’s firmly capable of doing, but maybe a player of lesser talent would be capable of doing as well.”
McDaniel said the Dolphins’ struggles when Tua Tagovailoa was out with injuries reinforced his determination to keep Herbert safer. The Chargers quarterback took 96 sacks in the past two seasons.
“He has an incredible ability to do off-schedule (throws),” McDaniel said. “I think I’ll be firmly coaching away from the off-schedule stuff at the front end, because he can always go back to that comfort zone as you work out other things. I think a primary focus on how to have offense without putting him in a vulnerable position will be a starting point, and we’ll extrapolate from there.”
McDaniel and Herbert spoke last week, and the quarterback is ready to work.
“He was in high spirits and just excited about attacking something,” McDaniel said. “You lose in the playoffs in the first round, it’s a lot of work that you feel kind of like (left you with) an empty stomach. So that hunger, I could hear in his voice.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh attends Mike McDaniel’s introductory news conference on Tuesday.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
McDaniel is joining a good team that needed a spark after consecutive 11-6 seasons followed by two playoff losses under Harbaugh. The Chargers have needed that spark to join the NFL’s upper echelon ever since they moved north from San Diego, posting six winning records over nine years with just one postseason victory.
McDaniel could be the ingredient to put the Chargers into championship contention if this partnership with Harbaugh flourishes. The 42-year-old coordinator hit it off immediately with his famously square-looking new boss.
“I feel like we’re the same guy,” McDaniel said while Harbaugh laughed at the back of the room. “He’s just taller. No, I think one thing we share is that Jim has never patterned himself after somebody. He’s his own person, and I would say that hopefully I would be described in a similar fashion. Who knows? I might be a 100% Dockers coach now.”
The fashion-forward McDaniel’s line was even funnier because he delivered it while wearing what appeared to be a $12,000 Bottega Veneta woven leather jacket.
The chance to learn from Harbaugh was important in his decision, but McDaniel also paid his respect to past Chargers coaches Sid Gillman and Don Coryell, two offensive innovators who changed football forever.
“There was a lot that I found very attractive,” McDaniel said. “I was fortunate to have some opportunities, but it started with coach Harbaugh. To be a part of an organization that has the legacy of Sid and Air Coryell, I was super attracted to. Got a quarterback who I’ve always admired, and just a lot of young players. A great situation for my family and me to go to the next chapter.”
The date was Dec. 20. It was the day everything changed for the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard has been the leading scorer in the NBA since, averaging 31.8 points per game. James Harden has averaged 25.1 points in that stretch. The Clippers have the best scoring differential in the Western Conference over that span. They’ve been rolling.
Flom is a blogger who covers the Clippers, and Dec. 20 was when he wrote the following on X: “If they go 15-3 in any stretch this season will print and eat this tweet.”
The Clippers have gone 15-3 since. True to his word, Flom printed the tweet Monday and ate it.
“Pretty crunchy,” he said.
Social media wasn’t around in 1953 or 1985, which means it’s highly unlikely anyone in Baltimore or Cleveland had to endure a crunchy moment like the one Flom put himself through on Monday night.
The 1952-53 Baltimore Bullets got into the playoffs by finishing fourth in a five-team division, in a year when eight of the NBA’s 10 teams made the postseason. The 1984-85 Cleveland Cavaliers got into the playoffs despite spending more than three months of that season holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams started those seasons with 6-21 records. Of the 121 teams that started an NBA season with a record that bad or worse, including five this season, those Bullets (who finished 16-54) and Cavaliers (who finished 36-46) are the only two that wound up reaching the postseason.
The Clippers started 6-21 this season. The playoffs were a million miles away. Not anymore.
Going into Tuesday’s game at Utah, the Clippers are three games under .500 at 21-24. They are 10th in the West, but that would be enough to get them into the play-in tournament and give them a chance at a playoff berth.
For a team that was a half-game out of last place in the West a couple of days before Christmas, just getting back to play-in range this soon represents a minor miracle.
“We’re confident, we’re playing well, but we’ve still got to play better,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after Sunday’s 126-89 romp over the Brooklyn Nets. “We still have to run through the tape and continue to execute the right way. … Overall, we’re playing well. We’ve got to keep it going.”
The Clippers, to their credit, were aware of Flom’s tweet. The Clippers’ social media team had a blast with it — all in good fun, like the tweet itself — and players couldn’t help but react when they got that 15th win in 18 games that ensured Flom would be chewing on paper for a half-hour or so.
“We gotta get him on camera,” Lue said.
“I don’t know how healthy that is for you,” Leonard said.
Clippers fans got into the act as well, chanting “eat the tweet” during Sunday’s game. It’s a feel-good story, such as it is. And there have been a few of those in the NBA this season.
Among them: Toronto started slowly but is vying for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs now. BetMGM Sportsbook had Phoenix’s over-under for wins this season at 30.5; the Suns have already won 27 games. The Celtics, even without Jayson Tatum, are No. 2 in the East, something few outside Boston probably expected.
The Clippers were supposed to be good, like title-contending good. Starting 6-21 was beyond unexpected. Then again, so was the turnaround. And the tweet is a neat part of why everyone seems happy in Clipperland these days, after tons of drama going back to the summer.
There was a probe of whether a business relationship between Leonard and a California company was legitimate or merely a way for the Clippers to circumvent salary cap rules, then Chris Paul being sent home in a stunning early December move, and a whole lot of losing.
Now, there’s a whole lot of winning. For the record, Flom now says the Clippers will finish 45-37. The way they’re playing, he might not have to eat those words.
Defensive lineman Teair Tart is returning to the Chargers with a three-year contract extension.
The Chargers announced the deal Monday night for Tart, who joined the team in August 2024 after he was released by the Miami Dolphins. Tart quickly became a contributor to Los Angeles’ defense, and he started all 18 games this season in the middle of the Bolts’ line.
Tart has 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack and an interception in his two seasons with the Chargers. He has been particularly effective in run defense, stepping up to fill a need created when Poona Ford left last year to sign with the Rams.
Tart began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans in 2020. The Florida International product also briefly played for Houston.
The Chargers likely will have some new defensive concepts next season after defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was hired to be the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. Minter was coach Jim Harbaugh’s coordinator for his first two seasons in Los Angeles, producing one of the NFL’s top five units in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense.
The Bolts went 11-6 and lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs in each of Harbaugh’s first two seasons. Harbaugh hired former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator earlier Monday.
Fired by the Dolphins on Jan. 8 after a 7-10 season, McDaniel went 35-33 over four seasons in South Beach. His hiring comes less than two weeks after Herbert fell to 0-3 in the playoffs following a 16-3 AFC wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, resulting in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s firing.
With defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving to become coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will have two new coordinators in 2026.
Considered one of the NFL’s leading offensive innovators when he was hired by the Dolphins after a one-year stint as offensive coordinator in San Francisco, McDaniel guided Miami to back-to-back playoff berths in 2022 and ’23. In McDaniel’s first season, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 games. He then passed for a league-leading 4,624 yards with 29 touchdowns in 2023 at the front of the league’s top offense (401 net yards per game).
The Dolphins, however, were winless in the playoffs under McDaniel. And Tagovailoa’s injury-limited 2024 season, coupled with his deteriorating performances this season, factored into McDaniel’s firing.
Still, McDaniel’s reputation as an offensive guru made him a prime candidate not just for coordinator positions, but for head coaching vacancies too. He reportedly interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans before deciding to join Harbaugh’s staff. He also reportedly withdrew from consideration for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job and canceled an interview for the Buffalo Bills head coaching vacancy before formalizing his deal with the Chargers.
Harbaugh said last week he wanted “a head coach of the offense,” someone who “teaches, installs and puts the players in the best position to be successful.”
Much of that wish list will center on McDaniel establishing a run game to complement Herbert — something that never fully materialized under Roman and Harbaugh.
The Chargers clearly prioritized the rush last offseason when they signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round. But season-ending injuries to Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and Harris, coupled with Hampton being undermined by ankle injuries, thwarted meaningful year-over-year gains (122 yards per game in 2025; 111 in 2024).
With the offensive line set to return to full strength and general manager Joe Hortiz saying he’s willing to spend some of the team’s estimated $103 million in salary-cap space, the Chargers are well-positioned for another postseason run in 2026.
Whether McDaniel can help Herbert end his playoff winless streak remains to be seen.
When “The Great British Baking Show” returns for another season later this year, the tent will welcome a new judge alongside the freshest batch of competitors.
British cookbook author and TV personality Nigella Lawson will join the beloved baking competition as a judge, succeeding Prue Leith, who announced her departure from the series last week. “The Great British Baking Show” (alternatively titled “The Great British Bake-Off” in the United Kingdom) unveiled Lawson’s appointment Monday on Instagram. She will co-judge alongside longtime “Bake Show” fixture and bread expert Paul Hollywood.
“I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now!” Lawson said in a joint Instagram post. “Of course it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I’m also bubbling with excitement.”
“The Great British Baking Show” first aired on the BBC in 2010, with Hollywood judging competitors’ bakes alongside Mary Berry. Berry departed the series when it moved from the BBC to commercial broadcaster Channel 4 and Leith began her tenure in 2017.
During her “Baking Show” days, Leith became known among fans and competitors for her affinity for boozy bakes and colorful fashion and accessories. Notably, she and Hollywood co-judged the series in its 11th season, which was filmed and aired amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leith, announcing her exit, said “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years” and looked forward to a new chapter in her life.
“But now feels like the right time to step back (I’m 86 for goodness sake!), there’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden,” she wrote, adding later in her caption that she believes her successor will “love [the show] as much as I have.”
Lawson, a former journalist and Margaret Thatcher cabinet member Nigel Lawson’s daughter, comes to “Baking Show” with some history with Channel 4. The broadcast aired her series “Nigella Bites” in the late 1990s and early aughts in tandem with the release of her book of the same name.
Her television credits also include hosting her series “Nigella Feasts,” “Nigella Express,” “Nigella Kitchen” and “Nigellissima” and judging on shows “Iron Chef America,” “The Taste” alongside Anthony Bourdain and “MasterChef Australia,” among others.
“The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it’s a National Treasure – and it’s a huge honour to be entrusted with it,” she said on Monday. “I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come. I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!”
