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Thread: Downton Abbey

  1. #301
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    ITV has released the first trailer for the eagerly anticipated fifth series of Downton Abbey, which will be on screen in the autumn.

    It may only be 20 seconds long, but it suggests that the new series will see dramatic changes.

    Series five will feature a string of top name guest stars including The Royle Family's Sue Johnston as Denker, Lady's Maid to the Dowager Countess.

    Meanwhile, Dame Harriet Walker reprises her role as Lady Shackleton and Peter Egan returns as Lord Flintshire.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plzAuzRBkR4
    Last edited by Perdita; 25-06-2014 at 17:32.

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  3. #302
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    x-Coronation Street star Rob James-Collier has revealed he's wearing a very expensive wig during the current series of Downton Abbey.

    The 37-year-old star normally sports luxuriant locks as scheming under butler Thomas Barrow, but just before shooting began on the new series he landed a role as a drugs dealer in upcoming British thriller Wayland's Song, which required him to have a skinhead cut.

    He tells TV Times: "I begged Downton to let me shave my hair and they agreed – I bet they wish they hadn't after they'd seen the price of the wig - £4,000. They even put a few grey hairs into it, which was a bit harsh!"

    Rob says the wig was so convincing that guest stars didn't notice at first.

    "I'd be chatting to them for a couple of hours and then someone would adjust my hair and the star would go, 'Oh my God, it's a wig!'"


  4. #303
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    Downton Abbey is set to go up in smoke in the first episode of series five, when a heartbroken Lady Edith Crawley accidentally sets fire to her bedroom.

    Lady Edith, played by Laura Carmichael, is in bed weeping over her secret daughter, who she had to give up when her lover, Michael Gregson, mysteriously disappeared, but a book too close to the fireplace goes up in flames, putting the rest of the house and its inhabitants in danger.

    Fans will see the family and servants scramble to get out in time and to save Downton, uncovering some house secrets along the way.

    Executive producer Liz Trubridge said of putting together the stunt: "Because it was a stately home we couldn't set fire to it. The owners didn't want smoke damage to their house."

    She explained that they had built a replica bedroom to burn at Ealing Studios, where Allen Leech's character Tom Branson hosed down the flames: "At the very end the cameramen got themselves in complete waterproof gear and were hosed down by Allen."

    The series opener also sees the cast in 1924 having mixed reactions to the news that they have a Labour prime minister - some of the servants welcome the change, while butler Carson (Jim Carter) and members of the family including Hugh Bonneville's Earl of Grantham worry that their world is about to change, especially when the villagers ask Carson to chair a committee over the Earl.

    Allen said that former chauffeur Tom, who now lives as part of the family with his daughter Sybbie after his marriage to the late Lady Sybil, would sympathise with those feeling the class system should be upset but would be unlikely to play a very active part in it.

    He said: "It would be impossible for him to go back to the man he was. I think he's not as naive as he was when he arrived last year, but he's still very strong in his views."

    Viewers will also see Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and John (Brendan Coyle) Bates struggling with whether to have a child. Asked if Anna's reluctance was due to worries that Bates was responsible for the death of Mr Green, after Lord Gillingham's valet raped her last season, Joanne said that wasn't the case.

    She said: "I don't think Anna thinks for a moment that Bates is a serial killer. What I'd like to see for Anna and Bates as a viewer is different from what I'd like as an actor, because you like to play the drama, but it's important to have the happy times in between. They get moments of happiness and positivity for them, but it's not an easy journey."

    Executive producer Gareth Neame promised more moments as shocking as the rape scene to come in series five: "We always try to have each season right angle moments you don't expect to happen, so I'd like to think so."

    He added: "We hope to be back again next year. We think one year to the next so we'll see."

  5. #304
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    Anna Chancellor makes a guest appearance in the opening episode of Downton Abbey series five as an amorous aristocrat in pursuit of her former servant.



    The Four Weddings And A Funeral star plays Lady Anstruther, a widowed acquaintance of the family who drops in for tea and ends up staying the night at the house after claiming to have car trouble.

    But the problems with her car turn out to be a smoke screen so that she can spend the night with Jimmy Kent (Ed Speleers), her former footman who she can't keep her hands off, and who admits he is unable to turn her down despite being embarrassed by her attentions.

    Executive producer Liz Trubridge said of the guest cast this series: "We are very lucky on the show that we can attract incredible actors to come and play guest roles.

    "Julian (Fellowes, creator) has a great skill in the economy of writing, in writing very satisfying stories in very short spaces of time."

    Other guest stars this series include Richard E Grant who plays art historian Simon Bricker, and Sue Johnston who plays Gladys Denker.

    The regular cast also includes some new faces, with child actors Oliver and Zac Barker taking on the role of Master George Crawley, and Fifi Hart as the late Lady Sybil's daughter Miss Sybil Branson.

    Allen Leech, who plays Sybil's dad Tom Branson, said of the new young stars: "I became known as the whisperer, the dragon man and fire starter. If they were really good in takes, to entertain them we'd go in search of the dragons, because there are lots of dragon effigies around the grounds."

    He added: "All of the fires we have on set are controlled by our special effects team so they would make them very high and very low, and I would pretend to control them with my hand.

    "So basically, I turned them into fantasy-loving pyromaniacs."

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  7. #305
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    Downton Abbey's fifth series is just around the corner, and despite an embarrassing incident with a plastic bottle in one of the promotional pictures dominating a lot of today's (August 14) coverage, there are also some exciting glimpses of what's in store for fans of the period drama.

    The Downton Abbey Series 5 cast
    © ITV / Carnival

    The first official pictures for the new series include a shot of Richard E Grant's "charming art historian" Simon Bricker, who will appear in four episodes.

    Other new arrivals in series five include Royle Family actress Sue Johnston as Denker, lady's maid to Dame Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess, 4-year-old Fifi Hart as Sybbie, and twins Oliver and Zac Barker as George Crawley.

    Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham & Richard E Grant as Simon Bricker in Downton Abbey series 5 launch picture
    © ITV / Carnival
    Richard E Grant joins the cast for series 5

    Downton's executive producer Gareth Neame has promised "high-stakes drama, laugh-out-loud comedy and romance" in the new episodes.

    It will start in the roaring 1920s, and Lady Mary is expected to have moved on from her mourning in the last series as the search for husband number two continues.

    Branson's blossoming romance with teacher Miss Bunting is also expected to feature heavily in the series

    The show's creator Julian Fellowes recently revealed that he would be "amazed" if there wasn't at least a sixth series of the drama.

    Fellowes previously told Digital Spy that he thought it would be "quite fun" to do a Downton movie after the show has ended on TV.


    Downton Abbey will return soon on ITV.

    American fans will get the fifth series on January 4, 2015 on PBS.

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  9. #306
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    21st September, 9:00 - 10:00 PM


    Returning to Downton in 1924, a new Labour government heralds changes that are being felt throughout the land, as well as above and below stairs.

    Plans for a war memorial unexpectedly pit Carson against Robert and Mrs Hughes. While unwanted female attention spells trouble for Jimmy, Thomas gives Baxter an ultimatum. Branson’s burgeoning friendship causes Robert concern while Mary is ready to find love again. Cracks appear in Edith and Drewe’s special arrangement as she increasingly struggles to keep her emotions in check; this may have disastrous consequences for the whole household.

    Violet, Dowager Countess Of Grantham- Maggie Smith
    Robert, Earl Of Grantham - Hugh Bonneville
    Lady Edith Crawley - Laura Carmichael
    Mr Carson - Jim Carter
    Baxter - Raquel Cassidy
    John Bates - Brendan Coyle
    Anthony Gillingham - Tom Cullen
    Lady Mary Crawley - Michelle Dockery
    Molesley - Kevin Doyle
    Anna - Joanne Froggatt
    Lady Rose - Lily James
    Thomas - Robert James-Collier
    Tom Branson - Allen Leech
    Mrs Hughes - Phyllis Logan
    Cora, Countess Of Grantham - Elizabeth Mcgovern
    Daisy - Sophie Mcshera
    Mrs Patmore - Lesley Nicol
    Dr Clarkson - David Robb
    Jimmy - Ed Speleers
    Isobel Crawley - Penelope Wilton
    Mrs Drewe - Emma Lowndes
    Tim Drewe - Andrew Scarborough
    Mrs Wigan - Helen Sheals
    Headmaster - Patrick Brennan
    Sarah Bunting - Daisy Lewis
    Spratt - Jeremy Swift
    Lady Shackleton - Harriet Walter
    Lord Merton - Douglas Reith
    Lady Anstruther - Anna Chancellor
    Kitty Colthurst - Louise Calf

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  11. #307
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    George Clooney is to star in the UK television series Downton Abbey, it has been reported. The actor will play an American character who is a guest at a wedding in the country estate.

    The show, which will be broadcast at Christmas, was written to raise money for a charity fundraiser, called Text Santa for ITV. An ITV spokesperson said Clooney would appear in a sketch, but would not act in a full Christmas episode.

    The Hollywood star has already filmed the scenes but a spokesperson for the period drama refused to give away any further details. However, it was reported that Clooney was set to appear alongside Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery.

    Clooney is reportedly a huge fan of Downton Abbey and is good friends with Bonneville, who plays Lord Robert Crawley. The pair became close after working on the war film, Monuments Men, together.

    Earlier this year, it was also claimed that Clooney and his fiancée, Amal Alamuddin, considered choosing Highclere Castle, the Hampshire estate where Downton Abbey is filmed, as the venue for their upcoming wedding.

    However, it has been suggested that this was an elaborate cover story – invented after he was spotted at the castle – in order to keep his Downton appearance a secret.

    Sources told the Sun: "All the plans have been shrouded in secrecy because George was determined for his role not to leak out.

    "All the other cast members and crew were also sworn to secrecy. It's amazing it's taken four months for someone to find out. This is the biggest moment in Downton history and shows it's now the biggest drama in the world."

    The Text Santa fundraising appeal last year saw Cheryl Cole star in a special episode of Coronation Street. The singer was shown serving drinks in the Rovers Return, alongside Michelle Keegan, who played Tina McIntyre.

    ITV said that all money raised from the show will go to charity.

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  13. #308
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    28th September, 9.00PM

    Episode two

    With the house recovering from the night’s dramatic events, Robert is faced with a very difficult decision. As Daisy continues to struggle with her studies, Mrs Patmore has an idea which might solve everything. Thomas has it in for Baxter; will his meddling ruin her friendship with Molesley? As Rose tries to convince Robert of the virtues of a wireless at Downton, Lord Merton continues his hot pursuit of Isobel and when Mary puts her reputation on the line, Anna is made a reluctant accomplice.

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    Blimey! That fire engine got their quick. Is it parked in the Abbey's garage?

  16. #310
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    5th October

    Episode three

    Mary’s secret assignation is very nearly blown, but Violet’s quick thinking saves the day. Robert is left red faced and furious when things don’t go as planned. The events surrounding Green’s death are once again under scrutiny, while Mrs Patmore is devastated when old wounds are reopened but Carson is unsympathetic. Branson receives an interesting proposition concerning the future of the Downton estate, while a figure from Violet’s distant past suggests she has buried secrets of her own.

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