Bridgerton quickly became a fan favorite after debuting on Netflix in 2020, but not all of the show’s cast members chose to stick around.
The historical drama, which is based on the book series written by Julia Quinn, follows the members of the wealthy Bridgerton family as they search for love in 19th century London. Season 1 focused on Daphne Bridgerton’s (Phoebe Dynevor) unexpected connection with Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page).
After the show premiered, viewers fell in love with Page and his character, which made his departure that much more shocking. Netflix announced in April 2021 that Page would not be reprising his role as the Duke of Hastings despite plans for Daphne to appear in future seasons.
That same month, Page noted that Simon was always pitched to him as a condensed role, telling Variety, “It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end — give us a year. [I thought] ‘That’s interesting,’ because then it felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit, and then the Bridgerton family rolls on.”
Page has stood by his decision even though fans have publicly voiced their disappointment about not getting to see where Simon’s story goes from here. Season 2 still featured several appearances from Daphne, who was accompanied by her and Simon’s son, Auggie.
However, Dynevor later confirmed her own exit from the series, which didn’t appear to be her choice. “Sadly [I’m] not in season 3. Potentially in the future. But season 3, I’m just excited to watch as a viewer,” she told Screen Rant in January 2023 about not being called back to film.
Keep scrolling for more stars who made a memorable appearance on Bridgerton but have since parted ways with the show:
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