‘Harlots’ EP Explains Why Charlotte Was Killed Off in Season 3 Shocker

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 3, Episode 3 of Harlots.]

Harlots just shocked fans with the death of one of its central characters.

In Wednesday’s episode of the Hulu series, Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown Findlay) tried to intervene during a fight between the Pincher brothers, only for Hal (Ash Hunter) to push her back. She fell over the railing of the staircase to her death, and Hal hurried to pull Isaac (Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones) away before anyone could see them.

“Charlotte Wells is such a fighter. We wanted to tell the story of the risks she took but we didn’t want her death to be a horrible, sordid murder,” executive producer Moira Buffini explained. “It is as shocking as it should be and affects every single character, changing some of them forever. The repercussions are still being felt at the end of the series.”

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As for why the show wrote out Brown Findlay’s character, the EP said, “Jess is one of life’s genuine free spirits and she was ready to explore new experiences, so we set about writing her an exit to do her proud.”

Brown Findlay will be starring in Brave New World, the adaptation of the Aldous Huxley novel, coming to USA Network.

(Liam Daniel/Hulu)

This isn’t the first time one of Brown Findlay’s characters suffered such a shocking fate. In the third season of Downton Abbey, her character, Lady Sybil Branson, also died — but during childbirth.

Harlots, Wednesdays, Hulu