‘Bridgerton’ Fans Outraged Over Regé-Jean Page’s Shocking Exit: “If He’s Not in It, I’m Not Watching”

After the news broke that Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page wouldn’t be returning for Season 2 of the steamy Netflix hit, fans are melting down. The news, which came as a shock to many, was first released this morning in an official letter from Lady Whistledown, the show’s notorious gossip. “We bid adieu to Regé-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings,” the letter read in part. “We’ll miss Simon’s presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family.”

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.

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. “It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” he said, referring to early conversations with Bridgerton producers. “[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.”

Although Page is moving on from Shondaland, fans can still get their fix. The actor is set to continue working with Netflix on a new project, the Russo brothers’ The Gray Man, an action film starring  Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, and will also appear in the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons film.

Stream Bridgerton on Netflix