'Bridgerton' premieres in Paris promising 'Cinderella with a twist'

The promoters of Bridgerton, the most English of TV series, chose Paris Wednesday to launch the fourth series of the hit show whose key plotline promises to be "Cinderella with a twist", according to star Yerin Ha.

Several hundred fans thronged outside the Palais Brongniart in central Paris, whose steps and columns had been decorated in the show's colours, with a walkway decorated like an English garden for the stars. 

The latest instalment revolves around the powerful Bridgerton family's second son, the rakish Benedict (Luke Thompson), who falls under the spell of the mysterious Sophie Baek, unaware that, like Cinderella, she is a servant. 

"I'd say it's a bit of Cinderella with a twist, and it's not quite Cinderella. It's a class struggle, forbidden love story," Australian-Korean actress Yerin Ha, who plays Baek, told AFP. 

Releasing on Netflix on January 29, the season tackles numerous themes through its intrigues, including relations between nobles and servants, rape, disability, and the sex lives of women after menopause. 

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Baek's cruel mistress -- and stepmother -- is played by Katie Leung, known for her role as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter saga.

According to Netflix, Bridgerton has consistently ranked among the platform's most popular content since its launch in 2020, holding spots in the global Top 10 for several weeks at a time. 

It is adapted from the novels about 19th-century London high society by American writer Julia Quinn.

Fans can look forward to seasons five and six which have already been confirmed. 

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