Downton Abbey

Two of ITV’s heavy-hitters have announced they will be leaving the broadcaster to set up their own production company.

Laura Mackie, ITV’s director of drama, and controller of drama commissioning Sally Haynes will both leave at the end of June.

The have been behind some of the recent hits at ITV, including Downton Abbey, Appropriate Adult and the Jeremy Piven-starring Mr Selfridge.

“The range of our output from Downton Abbey and Mr Selfridge through to Scott and Bailey and Appropriate Adult are testimony to the ambition of the channel,” Mackie said. “We’re sad to go but know that ITV drama will continue to go from strength to strength.” Continue reading »

Kardashian unsure of X Factor USA return

Khloe Kardashian has admitted she has no idea if she will be returning to The X Factor USA as host for its next season. “I hope [I'll be back],” she said. “We won’t know until the final hour. I have no idea!”

Downton to take different route

Downton Abbey exec Gareth Neame has hinted that the series will take a different direction in its fourth season.

Downton Abbey has locked own the services of one of its best-loved cast members for its fourth season.

Dame Maggie Smith will return to the period drama for the next season, after earning herself a Golden Globe for her role as the Dowager Countess earlier this week.

The show’s executive producer Gareth Neame confirmed the news, adding that all of the other main cast members expected to return have already signed contracts for the fourth season.

Two celebrated British TV actors have been honoured at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards.

Homeland’s Damian Lewis and Downton Abbey’s Dame Maggie Smith both took home awards for their roles in their respective drama series.

Lewis collected the award for ‘Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series (Drama)’ for his role as Nicholas Brody while Smith was given ‘Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series (Drama)’ for her portrayal of Violet Crawley. Continue reading »

The complete list of winners in the television categories at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. Continue reading »

Downton Abbey’s third season has launched with a bang in the US with a huge audience on PBS.

The show returned with an average audience of 7.9 million viewers, around double the amount who tuned into the second season premiere last year.

The show made PBS the second most-watched network in the timeslot, trailing only CBS.

There had been talk in the US that the long delay between the UK screening on ITV and the American release may have forced viewers to find other means to watch the third season rather than wait. Continue reading »

Tuesday, 25 December 2012, 8:45PM – 10:45PM

The family receive a warm welcome at Duneagle Castle, visiting Rose and her parents in the Highlands. But there is no disguising the tensions between their hosts.

Carson is determined to keep the servants back at Downton working hard, but with a country fair coming up, will some be tempted to push their luck?

Could romance be on the cards for Mrs Patmore?

A BBC-commissioned report has acknowledged that the broadcaster needs to be “bolder” and “more creative” with its depiction of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

The report details the fact that many LGB people are still side-lined and remain “relatively invisible” across all media.
The issue is particularly problematic with lesbian women and bisexual people.

The BBC’s acting director general Tim Davie, who worked on the report, said: “The BBC has a fundamental obligation to serve all its audiences. In fact, it’s one of the BBC’s public purposes to reflect the diversity of UK life.

“I’m proud to have led this work for three years, and this review underlines our commitment and sets a direction for the work to continue.” Continue reading »

Here is the full list of nominees in the TV categories for the 70th Annual Golden Globes, to be held on January 13, 2013. Continue reading »

The first pics for the Downton Abbey Christmas special have been released.

The special airs Christmas Day at 8.45pm on ITV1. Continue reading »