Downton roars into the Twenties: ITV confirms there WILL be a third series

By Paul Revoir

Last updated at 1:46 AM on 4th November 2011


Downton Abbey fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The hit drama will return to our screens for a third series, ITV revealed yesterday – this time set in the ‘Roaring Twenties’.

Watched by 11.5million viewers on average, it will be back next September to cover 18 months in the lives of the Crawley family and their servants.

New series: The tales of the Crawley family and Downton Abbey will be back on our screens next September for a third outing

The action – set in the First World War and the Spanish flu pandemic of 1919 this series – will jump forward to 1920 and 1921, when national events included the first UK birth control clinic and the creation of Northern Ireland.

Despite the most recent series having had a more negative response than the debut run, amid criticism about the complicated plot and the number of adverts, the programme has proved to still be a massive ratings hit.

The announcement came after Oscar-winning creator Julian Fellowes had earlier in the week sparked fears over whether the show would come back.

Yesterday, he said: ‘I am extremely grateful to ITV for this. I have grown very fond of my Downton family and I certainly do not want to say goodbye to them quite yet.’

Starring role: Dame Maggie Smith will continue to appear in the show

Leading role: Huge Bonneville will continue to star in the show, which will begin filming the new series in the New Year

Filming will begin in the new year and stars including Dame Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville are set to appear.

ITV’s director of drama commissioning, Laura Mackie, said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to be bringing Downton Abbey back for a third series, as we follow the inhabitants…into the Roaring Twenties.

‘It’s rare to find a drama that the audience connects with so strongly and we’re extremely proud to have commissioned a series that has become such a phenomenon.’

ITV claims ratings for this run – which concludes on Sunday – have increased by 21 per cent and it is the most popular drama series on UK television for more than ten years.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2057398/Downton-roars-Twenties-ITV-confirms-WILL-series.html#ixzz1cjghZ5xL