‘Bridgerton’: Phoebe Dynevor Leaving Ahead of Season 3 as Daphne

Lady Whistledown got scooped!

Bridgerton will be weathering yet another high-profile departure when it returns with its third season later this year.

Original cast member Phoebe Dynevor — who has played Daphne Bridgerton during the Netflix Regency-era drama’s first two seasons — will be absent from Season 3. The actress herself confirmed the news last week during an interview at the Sundance Film Festival, where she was promoting her new film Fair Play.

“Sadly [I’m] not in Season 3,” Dynevor told Screen Rant, adding that she could “potentially” return in future seasons. In the meantime, she says she’s “just excited to watch [Season 3] as a viewer.”

Dynevor’s departure follows the post-Season 1 exit of her onscreen leading man Regé-Jean Page (aka Duke of Hastings Simon Basset). With Page MIA, Dynevor’s screen time in Season 2 dropped precipitously vs. Season 1. As a result, her Season 3 retreat is not entirely unexpected. (TVLine has reached out to Netflix for comment.)

As we reported last May, Dynevor’s onscreen sis — fellow OG cast member Ruby Stokes — will also not be back for Season 3. Her role of Francesca will now be played Hannah Dodd (Anatomy of a Scandal). 

Speaking of the aforementioned Lady W, look for Penelope’s growing presence in the ton in Season 3 to make “it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.” (More Season 3 scoop here.)

Jess Brownell serves as showrunner in Season 3, taking over for series creator Chris Van Dusen, who remains an executive producer along with Shonda Rhimes.