“IF I could stop history in its tracks maybe I would.
“But I can’t, Carson.
“Nor you nor I can hold back time.”
Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) in the opening episode of the sixth and final series of Downton Abbey, which begins early in 1925.
Setting the scene for what is to come.
I attended the London premiere of Downton Abbey 6.1 yesterday.
Followed by two press conferences and then the usual afternoon of embargoed round table interviews with the cast.
“LIFE is strange, isn’t it?”
Downton Abbey series three, episode nine.
Otherwise known as the 2012 Christmas Special, just broadcast by ITV1 tonight – December 25 – in the UK.
If you have yet to watch it, do NOT read any further.
Come back later once you have viewed.
That obviously also goes for our American cousins waiting for series three to begin on PBS on Jan 6.
As well as other Downton fans across the globe who are not yet up to the UK series pace.
There are major spoilers below.
So unless you want to read them, stop now.
THE Christmas tree is being decorated as the house prepares for the festive season.
Before the Granthams hand out presents to their servants for Christmas Day 1919.
Welcome to the Downton Abbey Christmas special, screened for the media at London’s Mayfair Hotel this afternoon (Tuesday Dec 13).
Followed by two question and answer sessions with the cast.
STRICTLY Come Downton is set to waltz off with the Christmas Day TV ratings glitterball.
Downton Abbey stars will be tripping the light fantastic in their feature length ITV1 special which includes upstairs dancing with downstairs at the New Year servants’ ball.
WHO lives? Who dies? And who gets married?
Those questions are answered in the final episode of Downton Abbey series two on ITV1 at 9pm this Sunday.
With ITV having confirmed a few minutes ago that series three has, indeed, been commissioned.
As if there was any doubt.
It will again consist of eight episodes covering a period of 18 months in 1920 and 1921.
You can read the full press release at the bottom of this blog.
JUST under 36 hours to go now until the second series of Downton Abbey begins on ITV1.
As promised, below is my latest feature – published today in the MEN.
“YOU’LL find there’s never a dull moment in this house.”
Just one of many classic new lines from Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith) in the second series of Downton Abbey.
The press were invited to Downton on Friday for the launch of the eight-part 2011 series, which will be followed by a Christmas special.
Or rather Highclere Castle in Berkshire, the real life location for the “upstairs” scenes in ITV1’s Yorkshire-set global hit.
Life of Wylie 