Fans of Netflix's hit crime drama, The Gentlemen, expressed disappointment after Daniel Ings confirmed his departure from the show.
The Netflix crime drama, created by Guy Ritchie, follows an aristocrat (Theo James) who unexpectedly inherits his family's 500-year-old estate, only to learn it is part of a multi-million-pound cannabis empire.
In a new interview with HATC Magazine, Daniel – who plays Freddy, the elder brother of Eddie – said: "I'm not in the next one. So that's a fun sense of closure.
© Christopher Raphael/Netflix"I kind of see it as closure for the character in a way; it just ends as this wild, broken, crazy, you know. I don't know, probably mumbling into the ether somewhere in the British countryside."
The 40-year-old actor, known for his roles in Lovesick and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, described the experience as "a lot of fun" and said he'd "always be grateful to have played a part in creating that character".
© NetflixExplaining his character's evolution in season two, Daniel said: "When that storyline was presented to me for series two, he was written almost as a completely different character. And part of that was that I think Guy wanted to move away from the humour of it.
"He sat me down on my first day on the second series and was like, we went too far with the humour; we got to pull it back. So that was part of it was really interesting to kind of thread that needle."
Fan reaction to Daniel Ings' sudden exit
It's safe to say that the news hasn't gone down well with fans. Taking to social media, one person wrote: "This is actually very disappointing - was hoping to see his redemption," while another added: "This doesn't make any sense!!!"
© Aliah Anderson/WireImageA third fan penned: "Very odd. He just came back with the family… seemed poised for a larger role in season 3."
The Gentlemen season 3 set to 'push the boundaries'
The popular drama, which also stars Kaya Scodelario, Ray Winstone, Joely Richardson and Vinnie Jones, was renewed for a third season in August.
Once again, Guy Ritchie will be back at the helm for season three, which will consist of eight hour-long episodes.
© NetflixOf the renewal news, Guy said: "The ambition of The Gentlemen has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight. A third season felt inevitable, and I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further."
What happens in The Gentlemen season 2?
In season two, Eddie teams up with Susie to expand their criminal empire overseas, partnering with Italian mobster Marco Moretti (Sergio Castellitto).
© NetflixThe official synopsis reads: "It's been one year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together in Bobby's criminal empire overseas. As they drive to expand their enterprise, the decisions Bobby is making seem to be increasingly unsound. Now Eddie and Susie must decide whether to take action or risk losing it all, but unfettered ambition never ends well…"
