Dearest reader, an unthinkable scandal has spread around the ton. The Duke of Hastings has made his departure – and it’s no April Fool’s joke.
Regé-Jean Page’s departure from Bridgerton has been announced on social media by Netflix and Shondaland, in a message penned by Lady Whistledown.
“Dearest 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.”
Fans of the show will already know that series two of the hit Netflix show will focus on Lord Anthony Bridgerton (played by Jonathan Bailey) as he settles down in an attempt to find a wife.
It continued, “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.”
In an interview with Variety, it is understood that Page accepted the role knowing it was only for a limited run, “I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit and then the Bridgerton family rolls on.”
Page later went on to say, “…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.”
He posted a picture on his social media soon after the news had been announced, saying it had been “The ride of a lifetime”. Continuing, “it’s all been beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Fans of the show may be disappointed at the Duke’s departure. However, if it’s anything like the previous series, series two will be a huge success.
Words by Neve Gordon-Farleigh
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