Bridgerton fans distraught after Rege-Jean Page confirms he won’t return for season two

If you’re one of the millions of people who fell in love with the Duke of Hastings, we’re sorry to say we have bad news.

Bridgerton fans looking for more of the Duke in season two won’t be pleased with Lady Whistledown’s latest announcement.

Regé-Jean Page, who plays Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, in season one of the Netflix hit, will not reprise his role for the new season, Netflix and Shondaland confirmed today, as reported by Variety.

The announcement, which was formatted as a letter from the show’s mysterious gossip, Lady Whistledown, begins, “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,” it continues. “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.”

Your Grace, it has been a pleasure. 💜🐝 pic.twitter.com/kX1nIG8pz7

— Bridgerton (@bridgerton) April 2, 2021

After the news broke that Page wouldn’t be returning, fans are melting down, reported Decider.

While fans of the Julia Quinn books the series is based on may have seen the Duke’s departure coming, others on Twitter took the loss pretty hard. “No no no no!! @bridgerton will not be the same without you, your grace #ThankYouForTheMemories,” one wrote in response to the news.”I hope this is a late April Fool’s joke! He *was* the show,” another added.

Most fans insisted they wouldn’t watch Bridgerton without the beloved Duke, who emerged as a breakout star on the series when it first debuted in December.

im not saying that i will stop watching bridgerton now that rege-jean page isn’t going to be in season 2 but also what is the point 😩 pic.twitter.com/axK9NcLzZK

— agapé, like the love (@agapethamar) April 2, 2021

Kim Kardashian’s reaction to Bridgerton announcing that Regé-Jean Page isn’t returning to Bridgerton is, well, all of us. pic.twitter.com/SsUJrX0M3t

— Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) April 2, 2021

What?? If he's not in it, I'm not watching! Sorry. pic.twitter.com/sgyxoB0mfb

— Victoria Benning (@VLBenning) April 2, 2021

Shonda Sweetie, u can cancel Bridgerton season 2 no longer needed. Thank you

— haniifa (@haniiifa5) April 2, 2021

The second season of Bridgerton is set to pivot away from Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and focus on her brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), as he begins his own search for love. While Page won’t be featured on screen, Dynevor is set to return.

While the popular gossip Instagram account Deux Moi posted an anonymous tip that Page was leaving because of “an ego issue,” the actor told Variety it was always his plan to stick around for just one season.

Page told Variety that he took the role of the Duke knowing it would be a one-season gig. “It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” he said, referring to early conversations he had with Shondaland, the production company behind the series. “[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.”

RELATED: What to watch on streaming in April

Page is nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role.

He added, “One of the things that is different about this [romance] genre is that the audience knows the arc completes. 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 … I have nothing but excitement for Bridgerton continuing to steam train off and conquer the globe. But there is also value in completing these arcs and sticking the landing.”

When season two of Bridgerton returns, don’t expect to see this face.

RELATED: Bridgerton writer Julia Quinn reveals what happens next

While Page is leaving Regency era London behind, he’s got plenty of future roles to keep him busy. Next up, the actor is set to star in another Netflix project next, joining Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in the Russo brothers’ The Gray Man. Fans can also look forward to seeing him in the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons film.

This article originally appeared in Decider and was reproduced here with permission

Originally published as Bridgerton fans distraught after Rege-Jean Page confirms he won’t return for season two