Emma Thompson not doing Love Actually 2 because of Alan Rickman: ‘It would be too sad’

'There isn't much comic relief in the loss of our dear friend'

Emma Thompson has confirmed what we suspected, that she isn’t going to be in the Love Actually mini-sequel not because of scheduling conflicts, but simply because it wouldn’t be right.

Writer-director considered writing a narrative for Karen without Harry, but ultimately decided against it.

"Richard wrote to me and said, 'Darling, we can't write anything for you because of Alan', and I said, 'no of course, it would be sad, too sad’” Thompson told PA.

"It's too soon. It's absolutely right because it's supposed to be for Comic Relief – but there isn't much comic relief in the loss of our dear friend really, only just over a year ago.

"We thought and thought but it just seemed wrong... to revisit the wonderful fun characters of Bill Nighy and Hugh Grant and Liam [Neeson] and all of that, that's fantastic – but obviously what would he [Richard Curtis] have done?"

"It was absolutely the right decision."

Thompson did, however, explain what might have happened to the couple since that infamous Joni Mitchell CD-orientated Christmas Day (which fits with the script editor’s confirmation that they stayed together in spite of it).

"Both of them would be in therapy by now and I would be working on some kind of ward,” she said.

Curtis previously described the idea of a Rickman tribute in the 10-minute short as “very complicated”.

While we might not be getting a new chapter of Harry and Karen, this film Rickman and Thompson once made is essentially the Love Actually sequel you’re looking for.