Downton Abbey

We may well be seeing Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville in the live action Paddington Bear film due out next year.

The Wrap is reporting that the British actor may well take the lead role as Henry Brown, the father in the family who take the bear in when he arrives in London.

The project is being adapted by David Heyman’s (Harry Potter) production company Heyday Films.

Paul King (The Mighty Boosh) is attached as director while Hamish McColl (Mr Bean’s Holiday) has penned the script. Continue reading »

A rather bizarre Downton Abbey-themed auction has hit the internet.

Fans of the ITV show can now bid on a dinner date with actor Brendan Coyle – who plays butler Mr Bates – where they will basically be his servant for the night.

The auction to benefit New York’s Origin Theater Company, involves dinner at Per Se at the Time Warner Center and a horse-drawn carriage ride among a few other things that are borderline creepy. Continue reading »

#WhereisJJ Visiting the set #DowntonAbrams twitter.com/bad_robot/stat…

— Bad Robot (@bad_robot) May 1, 2013

JJ Abrams and Downton Abbey aren’t usually mentioned in the same sentence but it appears the former is big fan of the latter.

Abrams has paid a visit to the set of the ITV drama, posing for a photo with Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan).

Gary Carr has been added to the cast of Downton Abbey.

The Death in Paradise and Bluestone 42 actor will lay the role of Jack Ross, a “charming and charismatic” young jazz singer alongside the likes of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Dame Harriet Walter who have all joined the 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”. Continue reading »

A range of Downton Abbey clothing is going to be launched by the American network NBC Universal.

The show’s executive producer Gareth Neame confirmed the news in an interview this week, saying that the network will “be working across an entire range of products coming out this year. From fashion, apparel and homeware and furniture to wallpapers, beauty products and stationary.”

The network is no stranger to spin-off apparel, with ranges for the likes of Friends, Star Trek and 30 Rock.

Downton Abbey’s Lady Mary Crawford is taking a trip to Quahog.

Actress Michelle Dockery will make a guest appearance on Family Guy playing the role of an aristocrat in a British period drama.

Dockery will voice a character who appears in a cutaway scene showing a period drama similar to Downton Abbey.

A group of American Broadway actors have produced a parody of Downton Abbey in order to tide them over until the series returns.

The 10-minute musical parody was filmed in New York and shows the supposed cast and creator Julian Fellowes developing a musical episode.

Whose Line Is It Anyway’s Colin Mochrie plays the role of Julian Fellowes, describing how the Americans are upset that the show airs in the UK before it does in the US

The Great British Sewing Bee draws 2.56m

The Great British Sewing Bee has premiered to an audience of 2.56 million (11.1%) at 8pm on Tuesday night.

Findlay and her Downton Abbey fans

Downton Abbey actress Jessica Brown Findlay has told of the “onslaught” of grief from people when they saw her character’s death on the ITV series. “The day Sybil died I was flying out to film in New York. Normally when you land somewhere, you get a couple of messages, but I had an onslaught from people saying, ‘You could have warned me’. Even my parents knew I was dying, but they didn’t know how, so my mum was in bits. My dad had to tell her, ‘You can call her on the phone’.” Continue reading »

Downton Abbey actress Jessica Brown Findlay say she decided to exit the ITV series as she was afraid of staying in her comfort zone.

The actress, who played the role of Lady Sybil, told Radio Times: “I didn’t want to fall into my comfort zone too much…

“My contract was ending and I was unsure about signing away another year. Leaving me terrified, and that’s what made me want to do it.

“Being afraid and going into the unknown excites me, and what scared me more was to keep going and then one day discover it was all I could do and wish I had pushed myself more. I’d prefer to fail and fall flat on my face.” Continue reading »

Skins airdate confirmed

The airdate for the return of Skins has been announced as July. The E4 series will return with three new TV films called Skins Rise, Skins Fire and Skins Pure.

Downton Abbey sets US TV record

ITV series Downton Abbey has broken a US TV record with its season finale this week, becoming the most-watched show ever on the PBS network. Continue reading »