After his iconic role in Season 1 of Bridgerton, Regé-Jean Page made it clear that he had no plans to return, openly inviting Netflix to recast his character, Duke of Hastings, for future seasons.

Regé-Jean Page, best known for his role as the Duke of Hastings in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton, has stated that he will not return to the show. In a candid interview with Variety, Page expressed an openness to Netflix recasting his character in future seasons. Despite growing speculation about his return, Page remains steadfast in his decision to leave the role after Season 1.

In an interview with Marc Malkin on July 13, 2024, Page elaborated on his position. “They’re free to do as they like,” Page said when asked about the possibility of Netflix recasting his role. He spoke about having a positive and fulfilling experience with the show’s executive producer, Shonda Rhimes.

“Shonda and I had a wonderful conversation at the end of Season 1. We were quite happy with how we stuck the landing on that one,” Page added. His comments reflect his satisfaction with the growth of the character and his decision to leave the role.

Page was open about his character, Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Although he admitted that he has not seen Bridgerton Season 2, he did share his thoughts on the role that made him famous. “We did so well on that redemptive arc that people forget that Simon was kind of horrific,” Page previously told Variety.

He went on to call Simon “the best example of a Regency fuckboy that any of us had come across.” Despite this, Page acknowledged that the character’s arc was satisfactorily completed in Season 1, so he feels comfortable leaving the role behind.

Netflix has struggled to keep the Bridgerton storyline on track since Page’s departure. The absence of Simon Basset was especially noticeable in Season 2, prompting many fans to wonder how the show would handle his character’s absence, particularly in scenes with Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor).

While Netflix has yet to officially announce any plans to recast Simon, the decision appears to be on the horizon, especially if Daphne continues to play an important role in the show.

Fans and critics alike have already begun to speculate on Bridgerton’s future direction following Page’s departure. With the show’s goal of preserving beloved characters and expanding its universe, it remains difficult to address Simon’s absence without disrupting the narrative.