Why is Phoebe Dynevor not returning for Bridgerton season 3?

Asked if she makes an appearance in the Netflix hit's third season, Dynevor explained to Screen Rant during January’s Sundance Film Festival: "Sadly not in season 3. Potentially in the future."

She continued: "But season 3, I'm just excited to watch as a viewer."

The first season of the Regency-era drama focused on Daphne (Dynevor) and her blossoming romance with Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings (played by Regé-Jean Page).

Her role became smaller in season 2 as the attention shifted from Daphne to a new Bridgerton sibling: eldest brother and dashing bachelor Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), and his new love interest, Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).

Read on for everything you need to know about Dynevor's departure from Bridgerton and whether she'll be returning to the Netflix series in the future.

Why is Phoebe Dynevor not returning for Bridgerton season 3?

There's a simple reason as to why Dynevor's Daphne won't be returning: she's had her fill of festivities and must now respectfully decline any invitations from the ton.

Instead, the spotlight will fall on Colin Bridgerton (played by Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (portrayed by Nicola Coughlan) in season 3, as their romance finally gets off the ground.

Having said that, showrunner Jess Brownell did tell Variety that Daphne would be appearing in season 3 last year, so it’s unclear whether the character may appear in some capacity after all.

"We want to keep seeing all of our Bridgerton siblings," she said.

"We feel like those moments when the whole family is together is what really makes the show and makes all of us, I think, want to be a Bridgerton. So yes, you will definitely be seeing Daphne, Anthony and Kate – how much, I don’t want to say quite yet, but you have to tune in."

Will Phoebe Dynevor ever return to Bridgerton?

Dynevor's comments suggest that the door is open for Daphne to return in future seasons.

However, in another recent interview with Variety, Dynevor seemed to suggest Daphne’s story arc in Bridgerton is complete.

"I did my two seasons. I've done what I wanted to do with that character and she had a great arc," she told the publication.

"If they ask me back in the future, who knows? For now, I am just really enjoying having new experiences and making films and we'll see what happens."

Dynevor isn’t the first main actor to depart from the show.

Regé-Jean Page, who played Daphne's lover and eventual husband Simon Basset, confirmed his exit ahead of season 2 and made clear he has no plans to return to the show.

On why he decided to leave the show, Page told Variety that the short-term commitment of the role of Simon Basset appealed to him when signing on to take part.

"It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” he said.

“[I thought] ‘That’s interesting,’ because then it felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit and then the Bridgerton family rolls on."

As for whether he was written out of season 2 or he chose to depart, the star of The Gray Man told GQ that he "respectfully exited".

"I didn’t want to put them in an awkward situation where they had to kick me out," he added.

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