Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has opened up about the future of the beloved period drama.
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The show's second film release, Downton Abbey: A New Era, landed in theatres back in April this year, but it looks unlikely that fans will get to see a third.
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In a new interview, the Robert Crawley actor said that while he doesn't know whether the drama will return, he suspects that it probably won't.
The 58-year-old told the Radio Times: "I don't know [if it will return]. I thought for a while that maybe there was an energy to do a third one, but I suspect that's probably not the case. I think we've probably quit on a high.
"And it has been so beloved, and it went out on such a great note, I think it would be very hard to take it on to a third."
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However, not all hope is lost as he added: "But you never know. But I think if that is the end of it, there's been a great way to finish."
© Photo: Getty ImagesHugh said he "suspects" a return is "probably not the case"
Laura Carmichael also addressed the show's future in an appearance on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday. Chatting to presenters Rochelle Humes and Andi Peters, she revealed that whether the drama will return is down to its creator Julian Fellowes.
"I really don't know," she said when asked about the possibility of a third big screen release. "We never know. It's not saying no. It's just down to Julian."
Rochelle responded: "And I suppose it's one of those things you'd love to do?"
"Yeah," Laura replied, "We really do get on so well."
© Photo: RexLaura said the possibility of a third film is down to Julian Fellowes
While sitting on the blue sofa, Laura reminisced about filming the second instalment, which she said was a "really special" experience. "We are a big family, we've known each other for years, so to come back together is always so fun," she explained. "Also, [we were] coming out of Covid so it felt really special to be back together and to be working on something we all love so much."
While fans may not be seeing Laura as Lady Edith anytime soon, they can catch her in the second season of Australian drama, The Secrets She Keeps, which is currently airing on BBC One. Meanwhile, viewers can look forward to seeing Hugh take on the role of High Court Judge Sir Hector Blake in Netflix's new thriller, I Came By, which will debut in UK cinemas on 19 August before launching on the streaming platform on 31 August.
Downton Abbey: A New Era is available now on digital, and Blu-ray and DVD.
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