Regé-Jean Page is not coming back for season 2 of Bridgerton

Dear readers, we have some devastating news—Regé-Jean Page will not be gracing our screens for season 2 of Bridgerton.

The news was announced on Instagram, via a note from Lady Whistledown herself, which also revealed that Daphne (Phoeve Dynevor) will still be a part of the show.

It reads: "Dear Readers, while all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Regé-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings.

“We’ll miss Simon’s presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family. Daphne will remain a devoted wife and sister, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to offer – more intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear.”

While we can't help but think the Ton won't be the same without him and his spoon, if you're wondering why Regé Jean Page left Bridgerton, his departure was actually somewhat expected because his character's plotline is mostly played out in the first of the Bridgerton books, 'The Duke and I', 

Speaking to Variety magazine, Regé-Jean said he was happy that the series would only keep him busy for a year, so at least we can get excited that he's plotting more projects elsewhere.

“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”, he said.

“One of the things that is different about this [romance] genre is that the audience knows the arc completes,” he explains. “They come in knowing that, so you can tie people in emotional knots because they have that reassurance that we’re going to come out and we’re going to have the marriage and the baby.”

What has Regé-Jean Page said about his departure?

Regé-Jean Page shared an emotional tribute to his fans and the rest of the Bridgerton cast, who he called family. No, we're not crying... You are. 

Alongside a picture of him in character, he wrote: "The ride of a lifetime. It’s been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be your Duke. Joining this family - not just on screen, but off screen too. Our incredibly creative and generous cast, crew, outstanding fans - it’s all been beyond anything I could have imagined. The love is real and will just keep growing ❤️❤️❤️💫".

End of an era, but we're excited to see what Regé-Jean gets up to next.