The Duke of Hastings Won’t Be Totally Missing from ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2, According to Phoebe Dynevor

Dear reader, we’re still slightly annoyed that Regé-Jean Page (Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings) isn’t returning for Bridgerton season two. However, Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Bridgerton) recently opened up about the new episodes and revealed that her on-screen lover won’t be totally forgotten.

This week, the 26-year-old actress sat down for an interview with The Wrap, where she shared never-before-heard details about Bridgerton season two. Although Dynevor confirmed that it’s “definitely different” from previous installments, she confirmed that Simon will be (verbally) included in the story line.

“I think he’ll definitely be referred to a lot. I think we’ll see the baby,” she said. “And we’ll just focus more on her relationship with the Bridgerton family.”

Despite Page’s absence, Dynevor assured fans that season two will live up to the hype, adding, “I think that’s honestly the joy of the show in the long-term, getting to see these different love stories play out. And no two seasons will be the same, and they’ll have a different excitement.”

We first learned back in April that Page will not appear in Bridgerton season two. The news wasn’t a huge surprise for fans of the books, since the new episodes (like the second novel in the series) will focus on Daphne’s brother, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).

The announcement came from none other than Lady Whistledown herself: “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.”

So, does this mean there’s still hope for a brief cameo on behalf of Page? Not if Shonda can help it…

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