It would seem that whilst most of the planet has fallen head-over-heels in love the epic ITV period drama, Downton Abbey, there is one British thespian who wouldn’t agree, Game Of Thrones star, Charles Dance!

Dance, who has also starred in the Jewel In The Crown, has revealed that he was left so disappointed after being left out of the casting directors mind when it came to Downton, that he wouldn’t star in it now even if they did ask (which, incidentally, they have not).
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After a phenomenal reception from her series 3 debut, Hollywood legend, Shirley MacLaine may not be making a Downton Abbey return in series 4, as show bosses says that she is too busy!

Shirley burst on to our screens in series 3 as Martha Levinson, the head-strong American mother of Lady Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), and instantly struck a chord with viewers on both sides of the pond.
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With series 3 of Downton Abbey reaching its conclusion to US audiences this week, the shows creative genius behind it, Julian Fellowes, has hinted he may not continue writing the show!

Julian Fellowes has been the creative force behind Downton Abbey, the phenomenon ITV period drama, since it began back in 2010, and has a cabinet of awards, including a few Emmy’s, to prove how successful his skills have proven on it.
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With filming for the much-anticipated fourth series of the epic ITV period drama, Downton Abbey, due to begin next week, reports have come out suggesting that there may be a new love interest on the cards for recently widowed Lady Mary Crawley.

Fans of the phenomenon drama will know how during last year’s Christmas special Lady Mary’s husband, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) was killed in a tragic car crash, moments after meeting his first son and heir.

Despite the criticism of this storyline and comparisons made between it and the sudden death of Lady Sybil (Jessica Findlay-Brown) the series before it, the decision to kill of such a pinnacle character was out of the production teams hands as Dan Stevens, who played Matthew, had decided not to renew his contract with the hit show to embark on a career in America, where Downton has gathered a huge following also.
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We are starting to wonder what was being served at the National Television Awards as another big winner has revealed plans to turn a popular British TV show into a feature length film!

We reported earlier this week how Brendan O’Carroll, the main star and creator of the hugely popular BBC sitcom Mrs Browns Boys, had revealed, after being awarded Best Situation Comedy at last week’s prestigious ceremony, that plans are underway to turn the Irish, studio audience filmed show into a movie next year.
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Following the tragic, and disappointing, death of Matthew Crawley in last year’s Downton Abbey Christmas special, the show’s executive producer has revealed that fans can expect the iconic ITV period drama to take a different direction when it returns this autumn for series 4.

Fans of the show were left slightly disappointed by Matthew’s death when he crashed his car straight after meeting his first born son and heir, in a storyline which bore an uncanny resemblance to the exit of Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) earlier the same year.
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Julian Fellowes, the genius behind Britain’s most iconic period dramas of all times Downton Abbey, has revealed that, although the decision for Matthew Crawley to leave Downton was out of his hands, he believes that the impact it has on the show will be positive.

Dan Stevens who played Matthew Crawley in the award-winning show began hinting that he wanted to leave the show to launch a career in America shortly after the third series had ended, and when it was revealed that when the fourth series had finally ben commissioned he had not signed a contract, we believed that meant to the only way out for his character would be during the Christmas special, and we were right.
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Fans of Downton Abbey can all breathe a sigh of relief; Dame Maggie Smith is NOT leaving Downton Abbey!

Speaking at this year’s Golden Globes where British legend, Dame Maggie Smith picked up an award for best supporting actress as her role of the Downton Abbey feisty matriarch, the Dowager Countess, show creator Julian Fellowes confirmed that the iconic actress would indeed be returning to the show, not just for the fourth series, but for this year’s Christmas Special too!

Fans of the award-winning period drama were left wondering the fate of the Dowager Countess after the last series when it was revealed that health concerns may have meant Dame Maggie had to retire from acting.
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Phenomenon British detective series, Sherlock, has been nominated in the Television category at the Producers Guild of America Awards (PGA).

The show, written by the genius that is Steven Moffat and starring Brit superstar, Bennedict Cumberbatch in the title role, will go up against US blockbusters in the TV industry such as American Horror Story, Homeland Game Change, The Dust Bowl and Hatfields & McCoys for the David L Wolper Award, which is presented to outstanding producers of long-form television.

Homeland will also face another British sensation, iconic ITV period drama, Downton Abbey as well as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Mad Men for the Norman Felton Award, dedicated to outstanding episodic drama.
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Following the shocking and disappointing death of Matthew Crawley in this year’s Christmas special of Downton Abbey, the creator of the epic ITV1 period drama, Julian Fellowes, has echoed claims from ITV made earlier this week that the decision was out of their hands, and the fact that Dan Stevens who played the character had refused to sign up for a fourth series was to blame for the storyline.

We reported earlier this year that Stevens, whose character Matthew Crawley was killed in a car crash following the birth of his first child by his wife Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), was rumoured to not be signing a contract for the fourth series due to commence filming next year, and that he had set his sights on cracking America, where the show has a huge fan base also.
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We reported last week details of this year’s Downton Abbey Christmas Special, and now ITV have given us a little bit more information of what we have in store during this festive episode.

So far, we had been able to confirm that Matthew would be appearing in the episode, despite rumours that the actor, Dan Stevens, who plays him is leaving the show, which left a big question mark over whether, if this was to be his last ever episode, this Christmas would see his exit (which we believe to be caused by death).
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Ever since the end of the third series of Downton Abbey a few months ago, rumours have been circulating furiously about one of the shows main stars, Dan Stevens, reporting that he would not be signing for a fourth series due to plans to conquer America.

Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley in the hit ITV period drama, let it slip earlier this year about his US plans, telling the Mail Online at the time: “New York for me is going to be one big adventure. I will be taking the whole family out and we will be there for six months. I don’t know if I will be returning to Downton.”
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As we reported earlier, ITV has confirmed that hit period drama Downton Abbey will return for a fourth series in 2013…

But in today’s TV Biz, Downton’s executive producer Gareth Neame has revealed that the show’s creator Julian Fellowes learned all he knows about writing hit drama by being an avid Coronation Street viewer!

He said, “The main credit for the success of Downton is by far and away down to Julian.

“He has learned an awful lot as a viewer of Coronation Street.

“Julian knows that you want a core group of characters who almost become an extension of your family.

“But you also need new blood coming in to shake things up a bit.” Read more & comment »

With the fourth series of the hugely popular and iconic ITV period drama, Downton Abbey still hanging in the balance, its creator Julian Fellowes finally has some good news for us, Dame Maggie Smith’s character, the Dowager Countess, will not be killed off!

Since the end of series three last months, there have many concerns over the casting structure for series four, if and when it is finally commissioned. Reports that Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley in the award-winning show, was not going to be returning for another series due to moving to America, which sent fans of the show into a state of despair, knowing that the only logical way for him to leave the series was to join Lady Sybil in the Grantham family crypt!
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The genius creator behind Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, has added to the speculation that there will be a fourth series of the phenomenal ITV period drama, by admitting that he would be surprised if another series wasn’t commissioned, so the Telegraph newspaper reports.

Fellowes, who has also recently admitted that if a fourth series were made he would consider introducing ethnic characters, has always been quite vocal about the fact that he would like a fourth series, despite ITV’s apparent reluctance to officially give it the go ahead.
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