Fans may still be mourning that their beloved Duke of Hastings will no longer appear in "Bridgerton," but one person is applauding Regé-Jean Page for exiting stage right.
Speaking to Variety, showrunner Shonda Rhimes explained why she bares no ill-will toward Page and is fully supportive of his decision to star in just one season.
"Rightfully, he said, 'I signed up to do this one lovely story, this closed-ended storyline. I'm good!' And I don't blame him for that," she recalled.
MORE: 'Bridgerton' stars Phoebe Dynover and Rege-Jean Page on show's music, costumes and more"I think that he was really smart to leave the perfection as the perfection," the Emmy-nominated producer remarked.
Season one ended with Simon choosing wife Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) over revenge and starting a family of their own, thus continuing the family line.
"What I loved was we were going to create this powerful, exciting, amazing romance," Rhimes, 51, said of the first season before comparing it to other long-running shows. "For once in television, they were going to get to have their happily ever after versus — well, you know!"
In a possible gentle reference to "Grey's Anatomy," where the show's protagonist lost several lovers across the years, Rhimes elaborated, "In network television, you have to come up with 15 years of why a couple has to be apart."
And while she is thrilled that a beloved character gets to enjoy a happy ending, she is also delighted by how the internet burned over Page's departure.
MORE: EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: New covers of the Bridgerton novels released"People's attachment to couples is real — I mean, I know that better than anybody," she laughed. "And I think that means success. But I do understand their despair."
She hinted the door will always be left open for Page, since Netflix renewed "Bridgerton" for multiple seasons.