Downton Abbey

[Perdita]

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.


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.


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.



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).

[Perdita]

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.


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.


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.



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).

[Perdita]

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.

[Perdita]

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.

[tammyy2j]

[Perdita]

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.

[Perdita]

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.

[Perdita]

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

[Perdita]

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

[Perdita]

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)

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."