Theo James Will Not Return For 'Sanditon' Season 2

The announcement earlier this week that Sanditon for not one but two more seasons took fans by surprise. But what was interesting wasn't just that ITV and Masterpiece were essentially doing an about-face on the program after canceling it over a year ago. It was the little details, like the complete absence of Sidney Parker in the forthcoming show's synopsis. Half the reason the fandom had been so passionate about bringing back the series was the failure to end on the course of "true love" getting together, and #Sidlotte fans, as they style themselves, were all about seeing that ending corrected.

Not so fast. There's a reason only actress Rose Williams has been officialy confirmed to return to the show thus far. Apparently, like the Duke of Hastings over on Bridgerton, Mr. Sidney Parker will be absent from the show's second season, and probably its third as well. Notably, actor Theo James is even taking a page from the Regé-Jean Page playbook and claims his character was always a one-and-done from his perspective. Perhaps having the lead role in the forthcoming Time Traveller's Wife series may also have something to do with it.

Check out the statement posted to the Masterpiece social accounts from James: