LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Rege-Jean Web page won’t return for the second season of record-breaking Regency romance Bridgerton (2020 to current), Netflix mentioned on Friday (April 2), prompting howls of despair from followers of the dashing Duke of Hastings.
The wildly in style sequence from Gray’s Anatomy (2005 to current) creator Shonda Rhimes places a contemporary twist on the books about an upper-class household in early Nineteenth-century England, together with colour-blind casting.
British-Zimbabwean actor Web page was a breakout star for the primary season, however his character’s storylines largely conclude within the opening quantity of creator Julia Quinn’s authentic books, which every observe a special sibling of the Bridgerton household.
“Dearest Readers, whereas all eyes flip to Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to discover a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Rege-Jean Web page, who so triumphantly performed the Duke of Hastings,” mentioned a letter on the present’s Twitter account.
“We’ll miss Simon’s presence onscreen, however he’ll all the time be part of the Bridgerton household.”
In January, Netflix introduced that Bridgerton had grow to be the streaming platform’s hottest new sequence, watched by over 82 million households.
It forged a number of black actors in high-society roles – together with Web page – regardless of the very fact slavery was abolished in England solely in 1833 and racism was rife.
“Keep in mind: the Duke isn’t gone,” wrote Rhimes on Instagram. “He is simply ready to be binge watched once more.”
However some followers had been apoplectic, with one writing: “It is a joke, proper? If not then you definitely simply killed that present.”
“This higher be a belated April Fools’ joke,” wrote one other.
The primary season adopted Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) as she made her debut in Regency London, looking for a husband, whereas the second will concentrate on her brother Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).
“Daphne will stay a loyal spouse and sister, serving to her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to supply – extra intrigue and romance than my readers could possibly bear,” mentioned the letter printed on Friday.
