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Carnival Films and ITV announce that Gary Carr (Death in Paradise, Bluestone 42), has joined the cast of the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama, Downton Abbey.
Carr will play a jazz singer called Jack Ross, a charming and charismatic young man. He joins new cast members Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Dame Harriet Walter who are all set to star in the fourth series.
Carnival Films’ Managing Director, Gareth Neame said, “We are delighted to introduce another fantastic, dynamic character to Downton Abbey. His addition will bring interesting twists to the drama which we can’t wait for viewers to see in Series 4”.
As well as filming an eight-part fourth series, Downton Abbey will return at Christmas 2013 with another feature length episode. The new series will see the return of Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson alongside series regulars Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery and Jim Carter.
In the UK, Series 3 of Downton Abbey continued to hit new ratings highs, and was the most watched drama of 2012, averaging 11.9 million consolidated viewers. Downton Abbey also broke records in the US recently with the Series 3 Season finale, by beating all broadcast and cable competition to become the highest rated show on American television that evening. The series, which aired on Masterpiece on PBS averaged11.5 million viewers, with the finale averaging 12.3 million viewers.
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We've just signed up Cora aka Elizabeth McGovern and her band, Sadie and the Hotheads, to appear at the West Cliff Theatre in Clacton in October...
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Paul Giamatti is joining Season 4 cast as Harold Levinson, the maverick, playboy brother of Cora and uncle to Mary and Edith.
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Hollywood star Paul Giamatti has been cast in the fourth series of Downton Abbey, it has been confirmed.
The Sideways actor will play Harold Levinson, the brother of Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and the son of Martha (Shirley MacLaine).
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© PA Images / Andrew Medechini/AP
Giamatti's character is described as a "maverick playboy".
Carnival Films' managing director, Gareth Neame said: "We're excited that Paul Giamatti will be joining us on Downton to play Cora's brother Harold, the rather free-spirited uncle to Mary and Edith.
"We can't wait to see him work alongside Shirley Maclaine, who are both sure to upset the Grantham's apple cart in this year's Christmas Day episode."
Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Carter will all return for the show's fourth run later this year.
They will be joined by new cast members Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Dame Harriet Walter.
Death in Paradise and Bluestone 42 actor Gary Carr has also joined the cast as a "charming and charismatic" jazz singer named Jack Ross.
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Downton Abbey's exec producer has claimed that the show has benefited from Matthew Crawley's death.
The demise of Matthew (Dan Stevens) has added "dramatic rocket fuel" to the hit period drama's fourth series, Gareth Neame told The Wrap.
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© ITV
"There's nothing better that could have happened than that twist," he said. "Mary Crawley's story is far more interesting now, and the dynamics of the show are far more interesting - that she has to rebuild her life."
Neame added that he has "no concerns" about continuing Downton without popular star Stevens, insisting that the actor's departure opened up "endless [story] possibilities".
"Drama has endless possibilities, and the thing that looks like the worst that can happen, if you look at it in a completely different way, you suddenly realise that it's the best thing that can happen to you," he said.
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© Rex Features / Joan Wakeham
Brendan Coyle filming on set for 'Downton Abbey'
Hollywood star Paul Giamatti was recently announced as a surprise addition to Downton Abbey's fourth series cast.
Brendan Coyle - who plays Bates on the series - recently told Digital Spy that the latest episodes, to air on ITV in late 2013, are the "best... ever".
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Daisy Lewis will be joining the cast of Downton Abbey.
Lewis has been cast as the love interest for Allen Leech's widower Tom Branson.
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Daisy Lewis
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Daisy Lewis
The 28-year-old will be playing a governess to Branson's daugher, who helps the child and her father get over the shocking death of Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay).
The romance is expected to be one of major storylines for series four.
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Former Holby City star Tom Chambers has claimed that he was turned down for a part in Downton Abbey because he wasn't posh enough.
The actor, who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, revealed he auditioned to be Lady Mary Crawley's (Michelle Dockery) love interest but was turned down.
Speaking to What's On TV, he said: I was told I didn't have enough blue blood in me to join the series. It was disappointing but you have to be thick-skinned when things don't come your way."
Chambers, who is now starring in BBC drama Father Brown, said: "If I had got the job, I wouldn't have been able to do this, so it wasn't so bad in the end. I'm delighted to be joining such an exciting series."
Downton Abbey's fourth series begins on ITV in the autumn. It will air in the US on PBS in the New Year.
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Downton Abbey's Lady Mary and Tom Branson will not become romantically involved in the fourth season of the costume soap, actress Michelle Dockery has revealed.
Speaking to the media as part of the Television Critics Association press tour in the US, the 31-year-old actress said of the bereaved characters, both single parents: "They are very much friends. They become close because of what they've been through."
However, she did admit that Lady Mary would have 'more than one' love interest in the next series.
The Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated star also said that she was signed up to the ITV period drama until the end of the fifth run.
Her character is set to get close to Tom, following the death of his wife Lady Sybil.
Daisy, 28, will play the live-in governess of Tom’s daughter, also called Sybil in memory of her tragic mum, played by Jessica Brown Findlay.
She will quickly strike up a *romance with the handsome Irishman, the family’s former chauffeur, played by Allen Leech.
A source said: “Daisy will become one of Downton’s most prominent characters. She wowed producers in her audition and they are delighted to have secured such a brilliant young actress.
“Her romance with Tom will be one of the main storylines of the series. He will begin to develop feelings for her and they start a secret affair.
"Tom will have an even bigger role in the new series after *becoming the estate manager of Downton.
"The writers know he is a very popular *character and the *viewers were gripped by Lady Sybil’s traumatic death.
“In the Christmas special one of the new maids tried to kiss Tom although, at the time, he wasn’t quite ready to move on.
“But viewers will see that’s all going to change in the new series.”
Daisy, who trained with the *National Youth Theatre, has previously made a guest appearance in Doctor Who *playing Javit and appeared alongside model Agyness Deyn as a drug-addict in the 2011 film Pusher.
The versatile actress has also *appeared in ITV’s Lewis and has written for the Sunday Telegraph as well as producing short films Snap Shot and The Door, starring Charles Dance.
She first met Downton creator Julian Fellowes when she appeared in the 2009 film From Time To Time which he directed.
Daisy is one of five new cast *members joining the period drama. Big name additions include Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti as the playboy brother of Lady Cora, and opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who will play a house guest.
Former EastEnder Nigel Harman is set to star as a visiting valet.
Death in Paradise and Bluestone 42 actor Gary Carr has also joined the cast as a “charming and charismatic” jazz singer named Jack Ross – the programme’s first black character.
Joanna Davis, Julian Ovenden, Tom Cullen, and Dame Harriet Walters have also been added to the line-up.
Shirley MacLaine will return to play Martha Levinson for the eight-part series and another Christmas feature-length episode is planned.
Several key cast members have quit the show since the end of the third series, including Dan Stevens who played Matthew Crawley and Siobhan Finneran as Downton’s vindictive housemaid O’Brien.
Speculation is rife that this could be the last series.
It has won nine Emmys, two Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the cast – but failed to be nominated for this year’s Baftas.
The fourth series of Downton Abbey starts in September on ITV1
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Downton Abbey's Lady Mary and Tom Branson will not become romantically involved in the fourth season of the costume soap, actress Michelle Dockery has revealed.
Speaking to the media as part of the Television Critics Association press tour in the US, the 31-year-old actress said of the bereaved characters, both single parents: "They are very much friends. They become close because of what they've been through."
However, she did admit that Lady Mary would have 'more than one' love interest in the next series.
The Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated star also said that she was signed up to the ITV period drama until the end of the fifth run.
Her character is set to get close to Tom, following the death of his wife Lady Sybil.
Daisy, 28, will play the live-in governess of Tom’s daughter, also called Sybil in memory of her tragic mum, played by Jessica Brown Findlay.
She will quickly strike up a *romance with the handsome Irishman, the family’s former chauffeur, played by Allen Leech.
A source said: “Daisy will become one of Downton’s most prominent characters. She wowed producers in her audition and they are delighted to have secured such a brilliant young actress.
“Her romance with Tom will be one of the main storylines of the series. He will begin to develop feelings for her and they start a secret affair.
"Tom will have an even bigger role in the new series after *becoming the estate manager of Downton.
"The writers know he is a very popular *character and the *viewers were gripped by Lady Sybil’s traumatic death.
“In the Christmas special one of the new maids tried to kiss Tom although, at the time, he wasn’t quite ready to move on.
“But viewers will see that’s all going to change in the new series.”
Daisy, who trained with the *National Youth Theatre, has previously made a guest appearance in Doctor Who *playing Javit and appeared alongside model Agyness Deyn as a drug-addict in the 2011 film Pusher.
The versatile actress has also *appeared in ITV’s Lewis and has written for the Sunday Telegraph as well as producing short films Snap Shot and The Door, starring Charles Dance.
She first met Downton creator Julian Fellowes when she appeared in the 2009 film From Time To Time which he directed.
Daisy is one of five new cast *members joining the period drama. Big name additions include Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti as the playboy brother of Lady Cora, and opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who will play a house guest.
Former EastEnder Nigel Harman is set to star as a visiting valet.
Death in Paradise and Bluestone 42 actor Gary Carr has also joined the cast as a “charming and charismatic” jazz singer named Jack Ross – the programme’s first black character.
Joanna Davis, Julian Ovenden, Tom Cullen, and Dame Harriet Walters have also been added to the line-up.
Shirley MacLaine will return to play Martha Levinson for the eight-part series and another Christmas feature-length episode is planned.
Several key cast members have quit the show since the end of the third series, including Dan Stevens who played Matthew Crawley and Siobhan Finneran as Downton’s vindictive housemaid O’Brien.
Speculation is rife that this could be the last series.
It has won nine Emmys, two Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the cast – but failed to be nominated for this year’s Baftas.
The fourth series of Downton Abbey starts in September on ITV1
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Despite the best efforts of ITV bosses to keep the details of Downton Abbey's new series a closely guarded secret, several key plot lines have already leaked out.
Julian Fellowes, the show's Oscar-winning creator, has already told The Mail on Sunday that recently widowed Lady Mary Crawley will take centre stage as she tries to make a new life for herself and baby George.
There is also speculation that widower Tom Branson, the Crawley family's former chauffeur who married Lady Sybil, will find love with the nanny hired to look after his daughter Sybbie.
Looking for love: Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) with George, and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) with Sybbie
The new series picks up a few months after the death of Lady Mary's husband Matthew, and spans the period from February 1922 until spring 1923.
The Crawley family and their servants will be seen embracing the hedonistic 1920s and the show will welcome its first black character in the shape of a jazz singer called Jack Ross.
More...Downton's twincredible double act: First 'interview' with show's new stars who demand Haribo sweets, milk at 7am on the dot and endless naps between takes
Fans have already seen photographs of Jack's character, who is played by Gary Carr, sharing a punt with the beautiful but rebellious Lady Rose MacClare, played by Lily James.
The residents of Downton will also be gearing themselves up for the return of the Countess of Grantham's formidable American mother Martha Levinson, played by Hollywood legend Shirley MacLaine.
There is also a guest appearance by opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who will play a character required to sing for her supper.
The residents of Downton will be gearing themselves up for the return of the Countess of Grantham's formidable American mother Martha Levinson, played by Hollywood legend Shirley MacLaine
