Hello, dear Duke! Bridgerton breakout star Regé-Jean Page was spotted for the first time since it was announced that he would not return for season 2 of the Netflix hit series.
In photos obtained by the Daily Mail on Friday, April 2, the 31-year-old wore a gray T-shirt and black pants, along with a backpack and face mask, as he exited his Los Angeles apartment. The heartthrob carried luggage in the snapshots.
The Sylvie’s Love star told Variety the same day that he had always planned to leave the Regency-era series following the first season. “It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” he explained. “[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.”
“I have nothing but excitement for Bridgerton continuing to steam train off and conquer the globe,” he added. “But there is also value in completing these arcs and sticking the landing.”
Regé-Jean was met with instant acclaim for his portrayal of Simon Bassett, the dreamy Duke of Hastings — but in December 2020, he explained that the person he is on screen is different from his real-life persona. “It’s a huge compliment to know that people trust me with characters that they want an audience to fall in love with … But that person on screen isn’t me,” the London native told The I. “The idea of Prince Charming is wonderful, so long as you can figure out what’s actually charming to us now.”
On Friday, April 2, the popular series’ official Instagram account shared a message from the mysterious Gossip Girl-esque character Lady Whistledown. “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,” the post read.
“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,” the message concluded. “More intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear.”
Season 2 of the show will follow Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, the older brother of Simon’s wife Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor), and his search for love during the courting season.