When Bridgerton, Shonda Rhimes’ romp through Regency-era London, first graced our screens during one of a series of national lockdowns in 2020, needless to say it was consumed at breakneck speed. As we collectively craved life beyond the walls of the homes we were ensconced in, Bridgerton provided the perfect escape into a bygone era of fun and frivolity.
But when one of the first two seasons’ protagonists, Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, didn’t return for the most recent third season, tongues in the ton were set wagging as to the character’s whereabouts.
Bridgerton’s show runner, Jess Brownell, addressed Daphne’s absence from the third season in a June 2024 interview with Variety, stressing that they initially planned to address it, but eventually decided that they didn’t need to explain her absence at all.
‘There was a version of the scripts this season where at Penelope and Colin’s wedding, we threw a line at the fact that like, “Oh, Daphne wishes she could be here — but she’s pregnant again,” or, “Daphne and Simon? I just saw them, they’re sitting over there.”,’ Brownell said.
‘But the truth of the matter is that it just gets a little wonky to bring them up, and then not see them. But I firmly feel that in my brain, they are still a part of the universe. Obviously on the television show, you’re not seeing every part of these people’s lives . And so they are still going to see Daphne and Simon, Daphne and Simon are still coming over — just not at the time when the camera happens to show up, weirdly.’
Of course, even with Daphne’s absence, according to the structure of Julia Quinn’s books upon which the series is based, there are still plenty of other characters with which to comfortably lead the narrative.
The first season focussed on Daphne and her happily ever after with the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page; the second series told the story of Daphne’s older brother Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, and newcomer Kate Sharma, Simone Ashley while the third outing finally provided fans with an answer to the will-they-won’t-they love affair between Penelope Featherington, depicted by Nicola Coughlan, and Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton.ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
