Downton Abbey (2011) - filming begins!

Season 2 of Downton Abbey has begun filming and we have a few new details. [Expected airdates ~September 2011 on ITV in UK, January 2012 on PBS in USA]

"The bloody military conflict will lead to personal tragedy for both masters and servants alike and will mean life in the great house will never be the same again." It will also lead to the arrival of several dashing and eligible young officers who will break hearts and further complicate the tangled love lives of the three Crawley sisters.

The drama is expected to remain at Downton Abbey, and not on the battlefields, as earlier indicated by Julian Fellowes.

Some close to the production say the new series will draw on events that actually took place at Highclere Castle, which became a military hospital between 1914 and 1916. A source said: ‘It wouldn’t be right to say Downton becomes a military hospital but there are similarities between what happened at Highclere at what happens at Downton.’ [source]

Amy Nuttall, is one of the new cast members, playing housemaid Ethel Parks.

Express.co.uk:
“When I glimpsed Highclere for the first time it was breathtaking. It’s even more gorgeous and beautiful in real life. It’s so big but the cameras make it look bigger still.”

Amy said everyone went out of their way to make her feel relaxed and welcome. She said: “I was in the first scene of the first day of the shoot and I was working with Dame Maggie Smith. I couldn’t believe it. It was Ethel’s first day, as well as mine, so I could show my nerves, it’s allowed.”

Elizabeth and Hugh on set

Wonder if Ethel the maid will sing? Here's a video of Amy Nuttall singing...

Note: Regarding scheduling of PBS Masterpiece.

Some, including myself, have wondered why we have to wait in North America to see Downton Abbey when it will air in the fall in the UK. PBS has 3 distinct seasons of programming so Downton falls into their winter and spring slot.

Summer - Masterpiece Mystery! (best British mysteries)
Fall - Masterpiece Contemporary (modern dramas)
Winter & Spring - Masterpiece Classic (period dramas)
(Their "winter" starts in January)

Photos: ITV Press Centre

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