Did someone else write the rest of Downton Abbey then and he just wrote those bits?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien
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Did someone else write the rest of Downton Abbey then and he just wrote those bits?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien
Did someone else write the rest of Downton Abbey then and he just wrote those bits?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien
Downton Abbey exec producer Gareth Neame confirmed to TVLine Sunday at HBO’s post-Golden Globes bash that Maggie Smith will indeed be returning for the drama’s upcoming fourth season.
Over the summer, Abbey creator Julian Fellowes admitted that even he didn’t know if the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress would be back. “I can’t tell you, ‘Oh, yes, she’s definitely contracted [for Season 4] — because she isn’t,” he said. “It’s entirely up to her when she stays and when she goes.
“With Maggie, you never know,” he added. “Other [actors] sign on for the next series and they sign for this and they sign for that, but she doesn’t. She stays her own person. But as far as I’m concerned, I hope she stays with the show until Downton falls down.”
Smith’s decision to stick around ensures that all of the show’s major castmembers are on board for Season 4, with the exception of Jessica Brown Findlay and Dan Stevens, whose respective characters, Sybil and Matthew, are killed off in Season 3.
Downton Abbey exec Gareth Neame has hinted that the show will "turn in a whole different direction" in the new series.
The hit period drama's 2012 Christmas special concluded with the shock death of Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens).
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Neame told E! Online that Matthew's wife Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) will attempt to "rebuild her life" in the 2013 episodes.
"This is a lesson in something that seems like a really big loss in the moment, but will actually turn into a great opportunity... which it will also be for the show, to take a turn in a whole different direction," he said.
It was recently confirmed by Neame that Dame Maggie Smith will reprise her role as the Dowager Countess in Downton's fourth run.
The new series is expected to debut on ITV in the autumn, with a 2013 festive special to follow this Christmas. In the US, the third series is currently airing on PBS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=FakSxBg7Hok
No of course he wrote all of it, but killing off two of the most sweet characters was dispicable.Quote:
Originally Posted by parkerman
No of course he wrote all of it, but killing off two of the most sweet characters was dispicable.Quote:
Originally Posted by parkerman
Digital Spy caught up with Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and star Hugh Bonneville backstage at last night's (January 23) National Television Awards.
The duo, who picked up the 'Best Drama' gong for the ITV series, spoke about the exit of Dan Stevens in the Christmas special and what series four has in store.
Fellowes confessed that he was just as upset as viewers about Stevens's exit, but claimed that he couldn't do anything about it because the actor wanted to leave.
"I'm not going to criticise him," he said. "It's a very funny career to try to make any sense of as I only know too well. And when you definitely feel like something is the right move you've got to do it. But I was very sad."
The writer teased that the departure of Matthew Crawley would dominate future episodes, claiming that "Mary [Michelle Dockery] trying to rebuild her life" would be a dominant theme of series four.
Fellowes also hinted at a return for guest star Shirley MacLaine and suggested that he would be avoiding killing off any further characters this year.
"We don't want it turning into Midsomer Murders, where they live in the same village and 450 people get murdered," he laughed.
Joking about who they would love to see join the cast in the future, Bonneville suggested comic Julian Clary, while Fellowes suggested fellow NTAs winner and Lily Savage star Paul O'Grady.
"Paul O'Grady would be great as Violet's cross-dressing brother," said Fellowes. "Suddenly appearing and introducing a different note in England in 1922."
Downton Abbey begins filming series four in three weeks.
Tom Ellis is reportedly being lined up to star in the next series of Downton Abbey.
The Miranda actor auditioned for the role of Lady Mary's new love *interest and has since been shortlisted for the part by producers, the Sunday Mirror reports.
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Tom Ellis in 'Miranda'
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Tom Ellis with wife Tamzin Outhwaite
An ITV source said: "Tom has always been popular but he has really become hot property since his role as Gary in Miranda.
"He really showed his versatility and he's also incredibly popular with the female viewers. It was an absolute no-brainer to get him in for an audition.
"We know that Tom's got a lot of other options at the moment but if he does get the role it will be an incredible opportunity for him. A lot of the current cast have become global superstars.
"And it is always a bit of a coup for us to attract a *major BBC star to a flagship ITV show like Downton *Abbey."
Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery, seemingly lost husband Matthew (Dan *Stevens) in a car crash during Downton Abbey's Christmas special. Her new romance will be a key plot in the next series.
MIRANDA star Tom Ellis has ruled out joining the cast of Downton Abbey.
Rumour was that the BBC sitcom’s heart-throb would be a new love interest for Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the next series of ITV toffs drama Downton.
But Tom tweeted: “OK, so it’s been lovely to hear all the congrats for Downton but the truth is I’m not going to be in it... but thank you for your messages xxx”
Yet Tom, wed to actress Tamzin Outhwaite, did reveal he has landed a role in a pilot for new American TV horror series Gothica.
He is to play Victor Frankenstein in the show, described as a “sexy gothic soap” set in the present day, and will appear with Smash actor Raza Jaffrey.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz2Lm7mrRfF
MIRANDA star Tom Ellis has ruled out joining the cast of Downton Abbey.
Rumour was that the BBC sitcom’s heart-throb would be a new love interest for Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the next series of ITV toffs drama Downton.
But Tom tweeted: “OK, so it’s been lovely to hear all the congrats for Downton but the truth is I’m not going to be in it... but thank you for your messages xxx”
Yet Tom, wed to actress Tamzin Outhwaite, did reveal he has landed a role in a pilot for new American TV horror series Gothica.
He is to play Victor Frankenstein in the show, described as a “sexy gothic soap” set in the present day, and will appear with Smash actor Raza Jaffrey.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz2Lm7mrRfF
Downton Abbey series four has started shooting and the first pictures from the set feature the cast filming the funeral of Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens).
Matthew was dramatically killed off in the Christmas special episode after actor Stevens decided to quit the period drama.
The first pictures from series four show Dame Maggie Smith, Joanne Froggatt and Brendan Coyle dressed in black to mourn the loss of Lady Mary's (Michelle Dockery) husband.
There is also a snap of Matthew's headstone in the graveyard.
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Downton Abbey producer Gareth Neame recently revealed that he expected Mary to form a "more mature" relationship with a new male character in future episodes.
"She's an eligible young widow. So we shall see," he said.
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© Rex Features / Joan Wakeham
Matthew Crawley's headstone
Meanwhile, recent UK tabloid reports have suggested that the fourth series may feature the first black character on the show and that there may be a race relations storyline.
Downton Abbey series four will air in the autumn on ITV. It will air in the US on PBS in 2014.
Siobhan Finneran is the latest star to confirm that they are leaving Downton Abbey.
Speaking at the launch of BBC One's second series of The Syndicate, Finneran revealed that she would not be returning as scheming maid Miss O'Brien.
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Siobhan Finneran as O'Brien
A rep for the ITV series has confirmed the departure, but said that the character would not be killed off and could potentially return.
Jessica Brown Findlay and Dan Stevens departed the hit period drama during its recent third series.
Julian Fellowes's show has just started filming series four and early pictures from the set feature the characters in mourning for Stevens's character Matthew Crawley, who was dramatically killed off in the 2012 Christmas special.
Tom Cullen has joined the cast of the fourth series of Downton Abbey.
According to TV Line, the Welsh actor will act as a new love interest for Lady Mary, after her husband Matthew Crawley was seemingly killed during the series's 2012 Christmas special.
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Tom Cullen
Cullen will play Lord Gillingham, an old friend of the Crawley family.
Dame Harriet Walters will also appear during the new run playing an old friend of Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess, while former EastEnders star Nigel Harman will also join as a visiting valet named Green.
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Earlier today (March 2) Siobhan Finneran announced that she is quitting her role as scheming maid Miss O'Brien in the show.
Jessica Brown Findlay, who played Lady Sybil, and Matthew Crawley actor Dan Stevens also left the show during its third series.
:cheer::heart::)Quote:
Nigel Harman will also join as a visiting valet named Green
I hate though that they are giving Mary another love interest so soon but I guess they know that the romance factor is a big part for their audience
I think it's gone a bit to romantic, it's sad that siobhan finneran is not returning, she was fantastic. She played the nasty part really well. I think she is a great actress though. Love her in everything she's in.
The fourth series of Downton Abbey started filming last week and rumours and official updates about cast exits and cast newcomers have started circulating online.
Digital Spy wants to calm your nerves and keep you up to date on the comings and goings at Downton, so keep reading for our list of confirmed exits, new faces and returning old favourites.
Siobhan Finneran: The scheming lady's maid Sarah O'Brien will not be back in series four. Fans of O'Brien can cling onto the news that she will not be killed off and that the door is open for her to return at a later date.
Dan Stevens: It wasn't a bad dream. There is no miracle cure. This is not a drill. Dan Stevens's Matthew Crawley really was a goner in the Christmas episode and Lady Mary is going to be wearing a lot of black and open to new love interests in series four.
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Tom Cullen
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Nigel Harman
In!
Tom Cullen: One man who may raise a smile for Lady Mary is old Grantham family friend Lord Gillingham, played by the dashing Mr Cullen. He will apparently make his debut on the show at a party organised to lift Mary's spirits.
In!
Nigel Harman: The ex-EastEnders star will be joining the fun and games downstairs at the Abbey, cast as a "charismatic" new valet named Green. How will he fit in with Carson, Bates and Thomas? You'll have to wait and see.
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Julian Ovenden
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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
In!
Julian Ovenden: Another possible new suitor for Mary! Very little has been revealed about the actor's role, we're merely told that he will play "dashing aristocrat" Charles Blake.
In!
Kiri Te Kanawa: A rare TV appearance from the New Zealand-born soprano, whom will give a special performance at a Downton party.
Returning!
Maggie Smith: Fear not, fans of a good old-fashioned zinger from the Dowager Countess, Dame Maggie has already been seen on set filming the first few scenes for series four - hurrah!
Returning!
Shirley MacLaine: Another hurrah! The veteran actress will reprise her role as Martha Levinson for the fourth series. Fingers crossed it's for more than a cameo.
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Joanna David
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Harriet Walter
In!
Harriet Walter: Another sparring partner for Dame Maggie's Dowager. Harriet will play Lady Shackleton, an "old school chum" of the Dowager. She is apparently a "force to be reckoned with" who can go toe to toe with her old friend. Let the explosions commence!
In!
Joanna David: The mother of Emilia Fox is cast as another new guest in Downton - the Duchess of Yeovil.
Downton Abbey returns in the autumn on ITV. The fourth run will air in the US on PBS in early 2014.
Downton Abbey star Allen Leech has ruled out a romance between Branson and Lady Mary.
Series three of the hit period drama saw Branson (Leech) lose his wife Lady Sybil, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) found herself widowed in the show's 2012 Christmas special.
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"While it would be great for drama, I don't think it would be right for those two [to get together]," the actor told TV Guide.
"As much as they respect each other, they come from very different worlds."
Welsh actor Tom Cullen was recently cast on Downton Abbey - he will appear in the show's fourth series as Lord Gillingham, a potential new love interest for Mary.
Also joining the cast are former EastEnders star Nigel Harman and The Royal actor Julian Ovenden.
Downton Abbey will return to ITV1 in autumn 2013.
Jessica Brown Findlay has admitted that she was "terrified" to leave Downton Abbey.
Brown Findlay's character Lady Sybil was killed off in the hit period drama's third series, after the star opted not to renew her contract.
"I didn't want to fall into my comfort zone too much," she told the Radio Times. "I was unsure about signing away another year. Leaving me terrified, and that's what made me want to do it."
The 23-year-old actress will next be seen in Channel 4's Labyrinth, and was also linked to a role in Captain America movie sequel The Winter Soldier.
"Being afraid and going into the unknown excites me, and what scared me more was to keep going [on Downton] and then one day discover it was all I could do and wish I had pushed myself more," she explained. "I'd prefer to fail and fall flat on my face."
Downton Abbey - which also saw star Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley) depart at Christmas - will return to ITV for a fourth series later this year.
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has revealed that he would consider a move to EastEnders if the period drama came to an end.
The actor, famous for his role as the Earl of Grantham, made a brief cameo appearance in the BBC One soap back in 1995 when he played a headmaster for a single episode.
Speaking to The Mirror, he said: "I might go back. I am a jobbing actor and I will take whatever comes along, thank you very much. I would never say never.
"The actors who work in soaps are the hardest-working actors. The amount of material they have to learn is so much. It's phenomenal."
Bonneville's comments come after Downton writer Julian Fellowes cast doubt over the show's future after revealing he is penning a new drama series called The Gilded Age, which he hopes will be picked up by American network NBC.
"I honestly don't know how long Julian can go on with Downton – I don't know if there will be a fifth series," Bonneville added.
"I am sure the money men would like it to go on forever and ever because it does sell extremely well around the world.
"I hope Julian quits while he is ahead but he is a wise soul."
A fourth series of Downton Abbey was recently announced.
Dan Stevens aka Matthew really has changed
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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...
Paul Giamatti is joining Season 4 cast as Harold Levinson, the maverick, playboy brother of Cora and uncle to Mary and Edith.
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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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.
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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"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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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".
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.
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.
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
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
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
The first pictures of Downton Abbey's new male stars have been released, teasing some of the potential new love interests for Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary.
Julian Fellowes's period drama has expanded its cast for its upcoming fourth series and following the departure of Dan Stevens's Matthew Crawley in the 2012 Christmas special.
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Gary Carr as Jack Ross in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Gary Carr as Jack Ross in 'Downton Abbey'
Gary Carr (Bluestone 42) has been cast as the first black character in the show, playing jazz singer Jack Ross.
Ross will impress Lady Mary, Lady Rose and Lady Rosamund with his musical talents, when they see him perform during a trip to London.
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Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham in 'Downton Abbey'
Tom Cullen is cast as Lord Anthony Gillingham, an old friend of the Granthams.
He will appear at a party held to lift Lady Mary's spirits and is rumoured to be a new love interest for the character, following her husband's death.
The third new male star is Julian Ovenden, who will play "dashing aristocrat" Charles Blake.
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Julian Ovenden as Charles Blake in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Julian Ovenden as Charles Blake in 'Downton Abbey'
He is described as another potential suitor for widow Lady Mary.
Downton Abbey returns to ITV in September.
Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Carter will all return for the show's fourth run later this year.
Meanwhile, Hollywood star Paul Giamatti has joined the show as "maverick playboy" Harold Levinson, the brother of Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and the son of Martha (Shirley MacLaine).
The first pictures of Downton Abbey's new male stars have been released, teasing some of the potential new love interests for Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary.
Julian Fellowes's period drama has expanded its cast for its upcoming fourth series and following the departure of Dan Stevens's Matthew Crawley in the 2012 Christmas special.
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Gary Carr as Jack Ross in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Gary Carr as Jack Ross in 'Downton Abbey'
Gary Carr (Bluestone 42) has been cast as the first black character in the show, playing jazz singer Jack Ross.
Ross will impress Lady Mary, Lady Rose and Lady Rosamund with his musical talents, when they see him perform during a trip to London.
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Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham in 'Downton Abbey'
Tom Cullen is cast as Lord Anthony Gillingham, an old friend of the Granthams.
He will appear at a party held to lift Lady Mary's spirits and is rumoured to be a new love interest for the character, following her husband's death.
The third new male star is Julian Ovenden, who will play "dashing aristocrat" Charles Blake.
http://i2.cdnds.net/13/33/618x931/uk...aracters-2.jpg
Julian Ovenden as Charles Blake in 'Downton Abbey'
© ITV
Julian Ovenden as Charles Blake in 'Downton Abbey'
He is described as another potential suitor for widow Lady Mary.
Downton Abbey returns to ITV in September.
Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Carter will all return for the show's fourth run later this year.
Meanwhile, Hollywood star Paul Giamatti has joined the show as "maverick playboy" Harold Levinson, the brother of Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and the son of Martha (Shirley MacLaine).
Downton Abbey is to be sponsored by Tesco Finest for its upcoming fourth series.
The supermarket chain will team up with the ITV period drama on several platforms, including TV, mobile and online.
It marks the first TV sponsorship by the food range, and is part of Tesco's £1 billion six-point turnaround plan, which was announced after its first drop in UK profits in 20 years.
David Wood, Tesco marketing director, said: "We are really excited to be working with Britain's best-loved drama.
"Downton Abbey is a great brand fit for Tesco Finest. The show is well-crafted, authentic and inspiring."
Mark Trinder, Sales Director for ITV Commercial and Online, described the deal as a "great example of how partnering with ITV can enhance a brand's appeal to the benefit of our customers and viewers".
Downton Abbey will be set in 1922 for its fourth series, beginning six months after the death of character Matthew Crawley.
The series will return to ITV in September.
Nigel Harman has teased his role in the new series of Downton Abbey.
The former EastEnders star - who will play valet Mr Green - admitted that his character has no "redeeming qualities".
He told the Radio Times: "I am playing a character who is going to stir things up, so it should be interesting."
The actor drew comparisons between Mr Green and his EastEnders character Dennis Rickman.
Asked if Downton fans can expect to see elements of his former character, he said: "Oh, I don't know really. I think he's a bit better spoken than Dennis because he's a valet, and you have to be a little bit more together.
"But this man is incredibly charming, to the point where he's too good to be true - and that's what it turns out.
"I think Dennis maybe had redeeming qualities, even though he was violent and a murderer, whereas I think this guy doesn't have redeeming qualities."
Harman hinted that Mr Green may cause trouble in the marriage of Anna and Bates, who are seen looking troubled in the new trailer for the fourth series.
Downton Abbey's fourth series begins on ITV on Sunday, September 22 and will air on PBS in the US on Sunday, January 5. :cheer:
Rob James-Collier has revealed that his character Thomas Barrow will be showing his "claws" in the fourth series of Downton Abbey.
Barrow will apparently clash with the new nanny looking after baby Sybbie, unveiling his "devilish streak" once again to viewers.
"Obviously Thomas always had a soft spot for Lady Sybil. They bonded at the military hospital. We saw how upset he was when she died. So now she's passed he's obviously going to have a soft spot for her child," said the former Coronation Street actor.
"This nanny comes with Sybbie, she's gets quite protective with the baby - and that's obviously the wrong thing to do with Thomas.
"He takes umbrage and marks her card from that point in. Just because she disrespected him."
He added: "If you rile a tiger he's going to show his claws."
Commenting on the darker side of his character, he said: "I think a lot of it is just inherent in his personality - he has always had that devilish streak in him.
"A lot of it might have been just boredom. He's always looking for something, a bit of excitement, gossip, scandal - anything he can do to pass the time and amuse his mind."
James-Collier also said that he was pleased with the way his character's sexuality was dealt with in series three, claiming that it was important to confront the subject of sexuality in the Downton era.
"I wanted to see what effect being gay in Edwardian times had on the person and the people around him. I think we needed to explore it. Because of that people have warmed and seen a different side to him; he's got more layers," he said.
Downton Abbey series four will premiere Sunday, September 22 at 9pm on ITV.
It returns in the US in 2014 on PBS.
Rob James-Collier has revealed that his character Thomas Barrow will be showing his "claws" in the fourth series of Downton Abbey.
Barrow will apparently clash with the new nanny looking after baby Sybbie, unveiling his "devilish streak" once again to viewers.
"Obviously Thomas always had a soft spot for Lady Sybil. They bonded at the military hospital. We saw how upset he was when she died. So now she's passed he's obviously going to have a soft spot for her child," said the former Coronation Street actor.
"This nanny comes with Sybbie, she's gets quite protective with the baby - and that's obviously the wrong thing to do with Thomas.
"He takes umbrage and marks her card from that point in. Just because she disrespected him."
He added: "If you rile a tiger he's going to show his claws."
Commenting on the darker side of his character, he said: "I think a lot of it is just inherent in his personality - he has always had that devilish streak in him.
"A lot of it might have been just boredom. He's always looking for something, a bit of excitement, gossip, scandal - anything he can do to pass the time and amuse his mind."
James-Collier also said that he was pleased with the way his character's sexuality was dealt with in series three, claiming that it was important to confront the subject of sexuality in the Downton era.
"I wanted to see what effect being gay in Edwardian times had on the person and the people around him. I think we needed to explore it. Because of that people have warmed and seen a different side to him; he's got more layers," he said.
Downton Abbey series four will premiere Sunday, September 22 at 9pm on ITV.
It returns in the US in 2014 on PBS.
New pictures from the upcoming fourth series of Downton Abbey have been released.
They feature Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in mourning and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) with Baby Sybbie.
The new series is to centre heavily on the loss of Dan Stevens's character Matthew Crawley and in particular his wife Lady Mary's recovery.
Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Carter are all set to reprise their roles when the drama returns.
Downton Abbey series four will premiere Sunday, September 22 at 9pm on ITV and air straight after The X Factor.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s183/...#ixzz2efncPF1H
New pictures from the upcoming fourth series of Downton Abbey have been released.
They feature Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in mourning and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) with Baby Sybbie.
The new series is to centre heavily on the loss of Dan Stevens's character Matthew Crawley and in particular his wife Lady Mary's recovery.
Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Carter are all set to reprise their roles when the drama returns.
Downton Abbey series four will premiere Sunday, September 22 at 9pm on ITV and air straight after The X Factor.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s183/...#ixzz2efncPF1H
Downton Abbey returns next week and if you can't wait a second more for the upstairs, downstairs tears, drama and romance, Digital Spy has 10 exciting teasers for the new series.
10 of the show's stars have revealed secrets about what's in store for the characters in series four.
1. Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville)
"At the beginning of the third series we saw Robert's own folly jeopardising the future of the estate. This time it's something he could not have avoided, which is the death of his heir and the burden of death duties. 50% of the estate was owned by Matthew and punitive taxes are now due to the revenue. What is he to do? How can he best preserve Downton for his new heir, the baby George?"
"Robert's aim - as it has always been - is to try and do the best for the estate and for the family.
"Unfortunately, this well-meaning approach may not actually be what's best for the very person he is trying to protect. It's as if he wants to keep Mary swaddled in her widow's weeds."
2. Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael)
"In episode one, she and Michael Gregson (Charlie Edwards) are reunited after about six months - they haven't seen each other since Matthew's death. But things are still going very strong between them, and it's a relationship that feels far more modern, Gregson has this bohemian lifestyle and he opens Edith's eyes to all of that.
"You sort of get to feel a little bit of that thrill of the rebellion that Edith is going through."
3. Carson (Jim Carter)
"We learn a little bit more about Carson's past, that he did have a sort of slightly dented heart in his past and Mrs Hughes picks up on it. But he wouldn't reveal that to anyone else except her.
"There's a little chink (in Carson's armour), but if you're brought up to be discreet, you don't show too much emotion. I mean his whole life is actually hearing everything and giving nothing away really. So you don't break down and weep. But yeah, viewers will get a little chink in there. I can at least assure you there is a heart beating in there somewhere."
4. John Bates (Brendan Coyle)
"All I will say that is that something happens that shakes the Bates's world and has serious consequences."
5. Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt)
"Yes, there is another upset on the cards for Anna and Bates. I mean it's lovely to play being in love but it's also great to play the drama as well, and as actors we warm to playing something dramatic."
6. Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery)
"Mary obviously doesn't find relationships easy. She can be quite tough, she's not a walkover so it will take quite a strong man to handle her and we saw that storyline play out with Matthew and Mary - in the end he sort of tamed her a bit.
"Normally three months after someone's passed away the women would start to change into lilacs and greys and purples but Mary is refusing, even after six months, to change out of anything but black."
7. Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier)
"We see the dawning of a new partnership, because we quickly find out that Miss O'Brien has done a bunk in the night and so obviously someone has to fill the void.
"And then Edna, a character from the past, comes back to take the post of lady's maid and we see a partnership develop with her and Thomas, with all of the opportunities that entails for some new plotting. So yes, he's building relations because he's a survivor and he needs an accomplice.
"He needs someone to feed him information from around the house, and this new maid looks like she fits the bill."
8. Tom Branson (Allen Leech)
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Tom Branson and baby Sybbie
© Carnival/itv
Tom Branson and baby Sybbie
"Edna obviously took a bit of a shine to him and Branson, being quite lonely, kind of confided in her. But I think Edna's quite a scheming character. She's always got her eyes on something else and suddenly she's back in the house. She's somehow managed to get a better job and Branson's genuinely terrified of the fact that she's there. He's walking a very fine line with the family and with her, you know?
"He feels guilty for leading her on in some ways as well, and, I suppose, he is attracted to her in some way, but he wants to forget about what happened while the family were away. That's going to cause difficulties - because she obviously has an ulterior motive, one that people will find out about."
9. Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan)
"Mr Carson has a blast from the past visited upon him. An old chum. Suddenly he turns up again - well, actually, Mrs Hughes engineers that he turns up so that they can make up.
"Despite her hard shell exterior, she is a bit of a soft touch really."
10. Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol)
"She is really reluctant to move forward with technology... She can't understand why you would want a machine when some of the kitchen maids do it very well.
"They're an acquired skill, after all. And think of the ramifications of a woman of her age being thrown out at this stage, it would be a disaster! This is her home, she hasn't gone anywhere else to go. Eventually I think we'll see the stress getting to her."