The Duke of Hastings may not be gone from “Bridgerton” after all.
Regé-Jean Page is giving beloved fans of the show hope he COULD potentially make a cameo in season 2 of the hit Netflix show.
Earlier this year it was announced he would not be returning to the hot, heavy, and fantastical show.
A letter from none other than Lady Whistledown surfaced on Twitter confirming that the show would, in fact, be bidding adieu to Rege’s character.
It read, “Dearest readers, while all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Rege-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.”
Your Grace, it has been a pleasure. 💜🐝 pic.twitter.com/kX1nIG8pz7
— Bridgerton (@bridgerton) April 2, 2021
Many fans were heartbroken upon hearing the news, and behind the scenes, there was a lot of hoopla going on.
Page said he would not be returning for season two because A.) his contract was only for one season, and B.) the storyline of each season, which is based on Julia Quinn’s popular novel series, focuses on a different Bridgerton child.
The first storyline focused on Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and her love affair with Simon Basset, The Duke of Hastings.
He even issued a statement to Variety explaining that the show’s plan was always to have a “one-season arc,” adding that this plot really appealed to him.
Regé recalled, “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.”
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However, contrary to what Page said, there were rumors going around he and the show’s executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, didn’t see eye-to-eye.
A Hollywood source told PageSix days after his statement, “Regé is not coming back to Bridgerton because of creative differences with [executive producer] Shonda Rhimes and her team.”
The source added, “He wasn’t happy with what was planned for his character for Season 2, which would have kept him a player but not the focal point of the show.”
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On top of the alleged ‘creative differences,’ the insider also explained that Regé is in high demand for other leading roles, and even gave examples of other Shonda-produced shows in which the actors typically know just how big her shows are.
Despite the contradicting reports, Page recently sat down with British GQ and may have breathed new life into the possibility of his character making a cameo come season two.
He told the outlet, “You know I couldn’t tell you! Isn’t there something wonderful about being surprised by what you weren’t suspecting?”
There’s reportedly a scene in season two which involves his character and Dynevor’s playing Pall Mall with her oldest brother, Anthony Bridgerton, and his love interest, Kate.
While he may or may NOT appear in season two, he did let the outlet know that he respectfully exited the “Bridgerton” cast’s WhatsApp group chat.
“I didn’t want to put them in an awkward situation where they had to kick me out,” he explained.
Hey, mi WhatsApp es su WhatsApp!
