Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, has hinted that the beloved series could return with a spin-off. Speaking ahead of the premiere of his new series Belgravia: The Next Chapter, Fellowes said: “Well, never say never. If there is a demand for Downton then we have a supply. Has it come to an end in the movies? Maybe not. Nothing is ever too final. I mean, there could be a spin-off with some of the younger characters.”
The last Downton Abbey film, A New Era, was released in 2022 and grossed £75 million at the box office. It tied up storylines for main characters played by Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Dame Maggie Smith.
Fellowes, 74, has worked in television for over four decades and is also a Conservative peer. He revealed his fondness for Coronation Street, saying: “I love Coronation Street and won’t hear a word against it. I tried for some years with EastEnders, but thought they were all so rude to each other.” He dismissed the idea that viewers only want to see characters like themselves, calling it “absolute nonsense.”
The writer also spoke about living with an essential tremor, a condition he developed around age 66. He said: “The temptation is to think I am either terrified or drunk – when in fact I am neither. I am suffering from a very irritating condition called an ‘essential tremor’ which is not in the least essential when you have got it.” He added that he avoids fad diets, preferring to focus on staying positive.
