‘Sanditon’ Season 2: What Happened to Young Stringer (Leo Suter)?

When Sanditon returned to PBS for its second season on March 20, a few familiar faces were missing. Most notable – and most jarring for many fans – was the absence of Theo James as Sidney Parker, who was Charlotte Heywood’s (Rose Williams) love interest in season 1. But he wasn’t the only cast member who moved on during the long gap between seasons 1 and 2. Leo Suter, who played Young Stringer, also didn’t return. 

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Sanditon Season 2 Episode 1.] 

‘Sanditon’ Season 2 premiere reveals what happened to Young Stringer 

The Sanditon Season 2 premiere wasted no time in explaining what had happened to Sidney – and in shutting down any fan hopes that he and Charlotte might eventually end up together. 

After breaking things off with Charlotte in the season 1 finale, Sidney went on to marry a wealthy widow so that he could bail out his financially insolvent brother Tom (Kris Marshall). Not long after, he traveled to Antigua on business, where he caught yellow fever and died, as shown in the opening moments of season 2’s first episode. 

That twist closes the door on any possibility of a happily ever after for Sidney and Charlotte. But what of Stringer, the builder who also had feelings for Charlotte? In season 1, she clearly considered him a friend, not a potential husband. However, would she reconsider now that Sidney is firmly out of the picture? 

Alas, no. Following his father’s tragic death in the season 1 finale, Stringer moved to London, where he’s pursuing his dream of becoming an architect, Tom explains to Charlotte shortly after she returns to Sanditon. 

Could Suter’s character return to ‘Sanditon’? 

Unlike Sidney, Stringer is still alive, so he could theoretically pop up in a future episode of Sanditon. But fans shouldn’t hold their breath. A representative for Sanditon confirmed to TVLine that neither Suter nor Mark Stanley, who played Esther’s (Charlotte Spencer) husband Lord Babington, will appear in season 2.

“Due to several reasons including scheduling conflicts, neither Mark Stanley nor Leo Suter will be returning to the next season of Sanditon,” the rep said. “We are extremely grateful to Mark and Leo and wish these two talented actors the very best for the future.”

Could Suter appear in Sanditon’s third season, which has already finished filming, according to TV Insider? That remains to be seen. But given the actor’s other commitments, it seems unlikely. 

Leo Suter currently stars in ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ on Netflix 

Suter currently stars as ​​Harald Hardrada in the Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla. The show premiered in February 2022 and has been renewed for seasons 2 and 3. 

Vikings: Valhalla Season 2 reportedly finished filming in November 2021. Production on that show would have overlapped with seasons 2 and 3 of Sanditon, which filmed from July to December 2021. That likely explains the “scheduling conflict” that prevented Suter from returning. 

While Sanditon fans have probably seen the last of Young Stringer, the show – and Charlotte – is moving on without him. The season 2 premiere introduced several new potential love interests for Charlotte, including a reclusive widower named Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) and Captain Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones), who is newly arrived in Sanditon with his army regiment. 

Sanditon airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. 

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