A recent rumor concerning the cancelation of of the PBS/ITV period drama Downton Abbey has now been confirmed by producers. The long-running soap still has another season to sweep out the fireplaces and tickle that chandelier with a duster one last time, but after that, there’s no guarantee of a future visit to the grandiose abode.
Carnival Films, who produce the show, were willing to produce further seasons at the behest of PBS and ITV. Ultimately, creator Julian Fellowes and Carnival chief Gareth Neame decided it best to go out on top, said the latter in a press statement today:
“With this show we always try to get our timing right. Our feeling is that it’s good to quit while you’re ahead. We feel the show is in really strong shape…The show is so popular globally but the danger with this sort of thing is to let it go on forever. It’s very addictive to want to do that.”
The final season is set to mark the end of aristocracy in Britain as the modern age is ushered in. Needless to say, the show’s success has hinged somewhat upon its days-gone-by appeal of what life used to be like. Without that edge, it would simply be unable to continue.
Neame went on to say:
“That world is coming to an end on the show already. As we know, modern life is nothing like we depict in the show. We will now, in the final season, see how that way of life comes to an end.”
That end may not come immediately, however. Neame also spoke of a potential trek back to the abbey for one last wrap-up special in the shape of a movie. He told E Online the following:
“Our position on that is we would be very interested in [a Downton Abbey movie]. It is definitely something we’re contemplating. It would be great fun to do. I think it would be a wonderful extension of everything that people loved about the TV show, but I can’t confirm that it’s definitely going to happen,” Neame said, citing the planning and thinking that would be involved in mounting the effort. “We shall see.”
Six seasons and a movie? Step aside Community, your crown is about to be stolen…
Downton Abbey‘s sixth and final season will shoot this summer. It is expected to arrive in the UK in late 2015 and in the US early 2016.