‘Bridgerton' leaves door open for Simon and Daphne return? Find out

Dearest gentle readers, breathe easy. No one is stealing the Duke’s crown.

Despite ongoing fan chatter, Bridgerton has zero interest in recasting Simon Basset or Daphne Bridgerton. Showrunner Jess Brownell made that crystal clear in a new interview with Variety.

“We are not interested in recasting the characters,” she said. “I think it would feel like a disservice to everything Regé and Phoebe set up in season one, and all the beautiful work they put into those characters.”

Translation: the Duke and Duchess are irreplaceable.

Fans haven’t seen much of Simon, played by Regé-Jean Page, since his season one exit, and Daphne, played by Phoebe Dynevor, quietly stepped away after season three. Their absence was especially noticeable during season four’s emotional farewell to John Stirling (Victor Alli), husband to Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd).

But were they really gone?

“I think in my mind, the camera doesn’t capture everything,” Jess noted. “They’re hypothetically there; it’s television.”

So yes, in the Bridgerton universe, they may have been just off-camera – perhaps standing near the biscuits.

As for a comeback? Hope is alive.

“We would love to potentially have them back at some point,” she continued, “but I think, logistically, we want to make sure we bring them back when we have something really meaty for them. And to have them come back to say a line at a funeral and just prove that they were there, it wouldn’t feel right for many reasons.”

In other words: no cameo crumbs. Only full-course drama.

Would you want Simon and Daphne back for a major storyline – or is their happily-ever-after best left untouched?