Does the Bridgerton season 1 lead make an appearance in season 3?
Netflix’s hit period drama, Bridgerton, is finally back on our screens with its third season, after a two year wait between seasons 2 and 3.
We’re no longer focusing on the love story between Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) but instead, are honing in on awkward friends-turned-lovers, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton).
As fans of the series will know, each season pushes forward a new leading couple whose love story is plunged into the spotlight. In the first season – the very season that captured global attention – it was the story of Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page).
After fighting their true feelings for each other, the pair eventually married and had a child together in the season 1 finale. Dynevor then reprised her role in season 2 and helped her brother Anthony in his quest for love.
But is Dynevor in Bridgerton season 3? Read on to find out.
Is Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton season 3?
Unfortunately, Phoebe Dynevor is not in Bridgerton season 3.
Although the actress had reprised her role for season 2, Dynevor confirmed in January 2023 in an interview with Screen Rant that she won’t be coming back for the third season. When asked about whether there were any exciting dynamics on the horizon for Daphne, Dynevor said: “Sadly not in season 3. Potentially in the future. But season 3, I’m just excited to watch as a viewer.”
Although the future of Bridgerton could potentially include Dynevor, she expanded on her comments to Variety and said: “Well I did my two seasons. I’ve done what I wanted to do with that character and she had a great arc. If they ask me back in the future, who knows?”
Unlike Dynevor, her onscreen husband Page had departed the series after season 1 and has not been recast. Because of this, season 2 saw Dynevor return to the Bridgerton household on a break from her countryside estate to visit her siblings and offer assistance when it came to Eloise’s (Claudia Jessie) debut.
The second season also saw Daphne offer some words of advice to brother Anthony and come to be one of the first to notice his feelings for Kate.
But in season 3, Daphne has not yet been mentioned in the first batch of episodes. While that could change in season 3 part 2, so far there’s just been hints at Daphne’s absence, with Eloise telling newfound friend Cressida that she spent her summer in “the country” at Daphne’s estate.
As the new season focuses on Colin and Penelope’s romance, it’s natural that Daphne doesn’t fit into the plot. But when it comes to Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) debut in the Ton, the younger Bridgerton sibling is left to lean on mother Violet (Ruth Gemmell) instead of Daphne, like Eloise did in season 2.
As of now, Dynevor most recently earned a nomination for BAFTA Rising Star 2024 and has led Netflix’s Fair Play alongside Alden Ehrenreich. Dynevor is also set to executive produce and star in a film adaptation of Jonathan Stroud’s The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, as well as star in spy thriller Inheritance and thriller Anniversary.
Deadline has also recently reported that the actress is is in talks to star in an as-yet-untitled shark thriller that Tommy Wirkola (Violent Night) wrote to direct for Sony Pictures. So, although Dynevor may not be on our screens in Bridgerton for now, she has got an exciting roster of productions set to come.
Bridgerton season 3 part 1 is now available to stream on Netflix, part 2 will then be released on Thursday 13th June. Seasons 1 and 2 are also streaming now on Netflix. You can buy the Bridgerton book series on Amazon.
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