DOWNTON Abbey fans were rocked last night by news that another of its major stars is set to turn his back on ITV’s most successful period drama.
Just as a fourth series and Christmas special were announced, it emerged that romantic lead Dan Stevens, 30, who plays Matthew Crawley, is leaving.
A well-placed production source told the Sunday Express: “Dan Stevens isn’t returning to the series. He will probably do the first episode of the fourth series, but that will be it.”
ITV would not confirm or deny Stevens’s departure. However, it is thought he will appear in the Christmas show. The two-hour episode, described as a tearjerker, will see the Grantham family head to Scotland for a break, leaving most of the servants at home.
There have also been wrangles over money. A source said: “The American network NBC, which owns the production company which makes the show, basically bankrolled the first series.
“There was talk it didn’t want to put in so much money this time. Even with all this there are still plans to do five series.”
Read the full article here
Just as a fourth series and Christmas special were announced, it emerged that romantic lead Dan Stevens, 30, who plays Matthew Crawley, is leaving.
A well-placed production source told the Sunday Express: “Dan Stevens isn’t returning to the series. He will probably do the first episode of the fourth series, but that will be it.”
ITV would not confirm or deny Stevens’s departure. However, it is thought he will appear in the Christmas show. The two-hour episode, described as a tearjerker, will see the Grantham family head to Scotland for a break, leaving most of the servants at home.
There have also been wrangles over money. A source said: “The American network NBC, which owns the production company which makes the show, basically bankrolled the first series.
“There was talk it didn’t want to put in so much money this time. Even with all this there are still plans to do five series.”
Read the full article here
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