Prepare to pay the Crawley family another visit, because Downton Abbey season 7 is very much in the works!
The hit period drama won millions of fans all over the world during six seasons that ran between 2010 and 2015, with two spin-off movies continuing the story.
Viewers shared in the joys and sorrows of the Crawley family and their servants, in a tale that took us from 1912 to 1928 — but now it looks like there'll be another chapter in Julian Fellowes' sweeping saga.
There's no official confirmation that Downton Abbey season 7 has been commissioned, yet it's believed production started in secret in the early weeks of 2024...
"Filming has been going on for a few weeks now, it is all very, very secret," a source told The Daily Mail. "There are people working on it who have never seen secrecy like it. Those working on the set have been made to sign non-disclosure agreements so that they don't give the game away but there is a lot of excitement at the return of Downton.
"It was such a huge success before and there are so many more stories to be told, it seemed such a shame not to be able to make more of it but they've made it happen."
Here's everything we know about Downton Abbey season 7...
Downton Abbey season 7 release date
Filming is being kept tightly under wraps, yet it’s thought the new series will be on our screens in late 2024. There's been no official confirmation at this stage, but the show is expected to remain on ITV, the channel that broadcast its previous six series.
Downton Abbey season 7 plot
Cast and crew were made to sign non-disclosure agreements before setting foot on set, so plot details are pretty thin on the ground at this stage.
However the final scenes of the second spin-off movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era, might give us a few clues about what could be going on...
It saw Edith resuming her work at her London-based magazine, while newlywed servants Daisy and Andy schemed to match-up Daisy's former father-in-law, Mr Mason, and Downton cook, Mrs Patmore.
Elsewhere, Molesley proposed to Miss Baxter, Tom and Lucy Branson returned to Downton with Sybbie and their new infant, while Dr Clarkson diagnosed Lady Cora with pernicious anaemia, a treatable condition.
Lady Mary played a prominent part in the movie, yet her husband Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode), didn't feature and his prolonged absence due to a car rally put serious strain on their marriage. Will they be back together in the new series or will Mary be looking for a new man?
The show's creator Julian Fellowes is expected to base a new series around some of those characters, yet there are bound to be a few new faces appearing upstairs and downstairs when the show returns.
"It just gives me a lot of pleasure that so many people enjoyed the show," says Fellowes. "So to feel that you created a show that cheers people up and they had a good time with it, I love that."
Downton Abbey season 7 cast
Plot details are being kept firmly under wraps at this stage, but it's thought stars such as Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Joanne Froggatt could return.
Unfortunately Maggie Smith, who played the iconic Dowager Countess, won't be back, after her character passed away at the end of the second spin-off movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era.
That film also saw Thomas Barrow setting off to Los Angeles with his companion Guy Dexter (played by The Crown star Dominic West), while Lady Mary's husband Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) did not feature either.
Here are some of the cast who could return...
- Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham
- Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham
- Raquel Cassidy as Phyllis Baxter
- Brendan Coyle as John Bates
- Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot
- Kevin Doyle as Joseph Molesley
- Michael Fox as Andy Parker
- Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates
- Harry Hadden-Paton as Herbert "Bertie" Pelham, Marquess of Hexham
- Allen Leech as Tom Branson
- Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham
- Sophie McShera as Daisy Parker
- Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Branson
- Lesley Nicol as Beryl Patmore
Where will Downton Abbey season 7 air in the US?
The first six seasons were broadcast on PBS in the United States. Whether that broadcaster will retain the rights for the latest series remains to be seen and some of the streaming world’s biggest hitters will be keen to acquire the rights if there’s an opportunity. When we hear more, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Will there be another Downton Abbey Christmas Special?
There’s no news on whether there will be another festive special, but with previous Christmas episodes performing so well, it’s a distinct possibility.
Downton Abbey season 7 trailer
There's no trailer available for this one yet, but we'll be sure to keep you updated when it arrives.
