News that “Bridgerton” heartthrob Regé-Jean Page would not be returning to the Netflix hit show for season 2 set the internet aflame recently.

Netflix announced April 2 that Mr. Page, who played Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, was leaving on its Twitter account, using a statement penned in the style and words of the show’s mysterious lead, Lady Whistledown.

The statement read: “Dear Readers, while all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Regé-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings. We’ll miss Simon’s presence on screen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family.”

According to media reports, Mr. Page had only a one-season deal and completed his contractual obligation to the drama produced by Shonda Rhimes.

However, the latest scuttlebutt out of Hollywood claims that Mr. Page was not returning because of “creative differences” with Ms. Rhimes and her team.

According to media reports, Mr. Page wasn’t happy that his character would have been a guest star in three to five episodes of season 2 — at a reported $50,000 an episode — but would not have been the focal point of the drama, which was watched by a record 82 million households globally. Instead, season 2 will focus on Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, with Phoebe Dynevor, Mr. Page’s on-screen wife and the sister of Anthony Bridgerton, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season. The plan was in line with the vision of the producers that each season will focus on a different one of Julia Quinn’s best-selling novels upon which the series is based.

The British-Zimbabwean actor made his U.S. debut in History’s 2016 remake of “Roots.” The young star played Chicken George in the limited series, which also featured Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker, Anika Noni Rose and Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte.

Before “Bridgerton,” Mr. Page starred in the Shondaland series “For the People,” which ran for two seasons on ABC.

Since “Bridgerton,” he has secured roles in “The Gray Man,” a Netflix spy thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. He also landed a role in “Dungeons & Dragons,” a film adaptation of the popular role-playing game.