Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor has scored herself a brand new role - and while we can't wait to see her in action, many are now wondering what it means for her future on Netflix's best-loved costume drama.
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It's been announced that the 25-year-old actress is set to star in as well as produce a brand new book-to-screen adaptation for Amazon Prime Video.
She will play the lead role of Ava in Exciting Times, which is based on Irish author Naoise Dolan's best-selling novel of the same name. The story centres on an Irish woman who becomes entangled in a messy love triangle while working as an English teacher abroad.
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Not long after the news of her casting was confirmed, fans began to speculate that Phoebe could be poised to soon exit Bridgerton, just like her co-star Regé-Jean Page.
"Does this mean Phoebe won't return to Bridgerton after the next season?" one Twitter user asked. Another seemed to think the same thing and wrote: "Even though these are rumours, I'm sad for Bridgerton if she decides to leave (please don't) - but so happy for Phoebe."
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A third fan, however, speculated that Phoebe might not actually be lined up to appear in season three of the Shondaland drama. "The main story for series three doesn't really require Daphne's presence…" they said.
Season two of Bridgerton began filming back in May, after a lengthy delay due to strict coronavirus restrictions in the UK. The cast and crew have reportedly been hit by several outbreaks, and it's believed that filming is still ongoing.
© Photo: NetflixSeason two of Bridgerton is currently being filmed
However, the good news is that showrunner Chris Van Dusen recently confirmed that the post-production process has begun on the first couple of episodes. He teased to Deadline: "I don't think people are going to be ready. It's everything people love so much about the first season but more."
Meanwhile, Phoebe has also opened up about what viewers can expect to see in the highly-anticipated new episodes. As fans know, season two will shift focus onto her character's brother, Anthony Bridgerton, and his romantic pursuits.
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Discussing with W Magazine where this leaves her character, she said: "Next season, [I'm] taking it to the next level and am able to play her as this sort of empowered adult that has a child now and knows what it means to be a woman and a wife.
"It's fun getting to play her in a very different way," she continued. "She really knows herself at this point. So to explore what it means for her to have all those things that she longed for in the first season, it's really a joy."
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