Rege-Jean Page Playfully Addresses Bridgerton’s Mistress Plot Twist
Even though Regé-Jean Page has departed from Bridgerton, he remains informed about the show’s most significant stories and contentious twists.
“I check in every now and then [on Bridgerton] because I have a lot of friends there and people I love, and they do wonderful work,” Page, 38, mentioned in an interview with DuJour on Monday, April 6.
He humorously noted: “I’m not fully up to date, but I know enough not to be running around asking anyone to be my mistress any time soon.”
This remark about a mistress alluded to season 4 of the popular Netflix series, where Benedict (Luke Thompson) faced backlash for initially proposing a secret relationship with Sophie (Yerin Ha).
Since the show’s debut in 2020, Page has not returned to Bridgerton. The series, adapted from Julia Quinn’s novels, showcases the affluent Bridgerton family navigating love in 19th-century London. Season 1 concentrated on Daphne’s (Phoebe Dynevor) surprising bond with Simon.
Page’s departure was particularly shocking to fans, as they had fallen in love with both him and his character. Netflix announced in April 2021 that he would not be reprising his role as the Duke of Hastings, even with Daphne expected to appear in future installments.
Despite public disappointment over not seeing more of Simon’s journey, Page stood by his choice. Although season 2 still showcased several moments featuring Daphne, Dynevor, 30, later revealed she would also exit the series, a decision that didn’t seem to be her own.
Recently, Page attended Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood event, where red carpet host Leah Henry inquired about the numerous fans online wanting his character Simon to return to Bridgerton.
“Is there a chance you would ever return?” she asked, to which Page responded, “You know, it’s funny you say that, because I’m not on the internet.”
Henry reiterated that fans “need” Page back. “I’m gonna have to take your word for it,” he replied.
After another attempt from Henry to ask if viewers would “see” him again, Page thanked her for the interview and quickly moved on to the next reporter. This awkward moment followed comments from Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell about the potential for Simon’s return—possibly with a different actor.
“We are not interested in recasting the characters,” Brownell told Variety in February. “I think it would feel like a disservice to everything Regé and Phoebe [Dynevor] set up in season 1, and all the beautiful work they put into those characters.”
However, Brownell didn’t dismiss the idea of an onscreen return for either character.
“We would love to potentially have them back at some point, but logistically, we want to ensure we bring them back when we have something really meaty for them,” she explained. “Having them come back for just a line at a funeral [in season 4] wouldn’t feel right for many reasons.”
She concluded: “So in my mind, the camera doesn’t capture everything. They’re hypothetically there [this season] — it’s television. But we would love to find a time to bring everyone back at some point in the future.”
Bridgerton is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
