Theo James

2022 - 8 - 13

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Image courtesy of "Showbiz Cheat Sheet"

'Sanditon': Why Theo James's Sidney Character Was Not Recast ... (Showbiz Cheat Sheet)

After Theo James left 'Sanditon,' the show considered recasting the Sidney Parker role but quickly realized that was not a good idea.

Sanditon needed to “draw a line under Sidney and Charlotte,” Young said. Ultimately, the decision was made to kill off the Sidney character. “I honestly think we would have found it a challenge to find an actor willing to take that job.” “Theo felt he’d told that story,” Young said. “Honestly, at that moment, I thought, that was it,” he added. But for some, excitement quickly gave way to disappointment when they learned that male lead Theo James would not return as heroine Charlotte Heywood’s love interest Sidney Parker.

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Image courtesy of "Screen Rant"

Why Theo James Was Right Not To Return For Sanditon Season 2 (Screen Rant)

Theo James didn't come back for Sanditon season 2 – but it made the show and its characters much better. Here's why it was the right call.

Sidney's death removed his and Charlotte's position as the central couple and greatly expanded the stories for the rest of the cast in season 3 and beyond. Now, with Sanditon season 2 over and season 3 due in 2023, the Theo James Sanditon absence has been noticeable, but for all the right reasons. James is right to laud the "broken fairytale-like ending" between Sidney and Charlotte, and his desire to preserve this ending is the main reason he didn’t return for Sanditon season 2. Sanditon season 1 ended with Sidney and Charlotte apart, and she left the resort town to return home. The joy of Sanditon's resurrection was temporarily undercut by Underwood star Theo James announcing that he would not return for seasons 2 and 3. Theo James didn't return for Sanditon season 2, which was disappointing for fans of the PBS Masterpiece series until they saw just how well the show handled Sidney's absence.

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