New arrivals at Downton Abbey bring with them shocking skulduggery

Monday 14th, 12:17pm

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Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
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publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
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TV3 GROUP RELEASE

IMMEDIATE: Monday 7th October 2013

New arrivals at Downton Abbey bring with them shocking skulduggery

Downstairs at Downton soon turns to anguish as they discover guests are not as they first seem

Xposé’s Aisling O’Loughlin gets the inside scoop in an interview with Downton’s Hugh Bonneville.

Downton Abbey S4 Episode 3 airs Wednesday 9th October at 9pm on TV3.

Xposé airs Wednesday 9th October at 6pm on TV3.

Video link to view the full episode is available on request.

In the next dramatic episode of Downton Abbey it’s all romance upstairs in Downton Abbey when Lady Mary attracts the attentions of a new suitor. At an extravagant house party at the Abbey, Tom Cullen makes his debut as the charming and long-time bachelor Lord Gillingham. Though he is now engaged to the Hon Mabel Lane Fox, Gillingham begins to wonder if he has made the right choice when he reunites with childhood friend Mary.

The house is certainly livened up with new guests as former EastEnders actor Nigel Harman makes his debut as Green, a visiting valet. Green is successful in charming his way around the house during the festivities and takes a particular fancy to Anna, which Mr. Bates is less than pleased about. Unfortunately the celebrations take a deplorable turn for the worse when Green turns on Anna in a horrific act of violence downstairs while the rest of the house are enjoying a musical performance upstairs, none the wiser.

Speaking to Xposé’s Aisling O’Loughlin, Hugh Bonneville, who plays Earl of Grantham Robert Crawley, reveals what he likes and dislikes about his character on Downton:

“I suppose I like his sense of tolerance and compassion which is there. You expect him to be a stick in the mud which he is in many ways but actually he accepts the faults in others which is a quality I like. I think he’s pretty thick. He’s made some pretty stupid decisions. He put all his eggs in one basket in the last series in terms of finances. He’s not very good at listening to others at times he’s rather stubborn but on the other hand he has to run this estate. He has to hand it on to the next generation. That’s his sole purpose in life, to hand on this enormous thing on to the next generation and now it’s a six month old baby. He has to try to protect not only his daughter and her grief but also the estate and sometimes the decisions he makes aren’t the ones I would but it makes for an interesting character.”

Hugh talks about the global success of Downton Abbey:

“To be really honest when we’re standing in a frozen field in February in our warm coats or sweating in our frock costumes in the high summer we’re just concentrating on the work. Of course I’ve now finally accepted the fact that it is a global success that has been embraced by so many different countries. You always think that there will be one country who says ‘I don’t get this. It’s a load of old nonsense.’ And there’s plenty of people who do think it’s a load of old nonsense and fair play to them but the countries that it’s played in, it hasn’t yet flopped so we’re doing something right and I’ve stopped analysing what it is. As to whether it has any particular impact on the way we do things, no not necessarily. We just have to have bigger screens against the prying eyes of people like you when we’re filming bits we don’t want people to see.”

Hugh praises Dowton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes:

“His work ethic is phenomenal. The invention and the way he’s loyal to his characters and reveals surprising things about them all the time. I just hope he’s paying his health insurance. I’m determined to lock him into a room and not let him get into any trouble so that he can write the next series.”

Downton Abbey S4 Episode 2airs Wednesday 9th October at 9pm on TV3.

Xposé airs Wednesday 9th October at 6pm on TV3.

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For further information
Ciara Byrne

Press Officer

00353 1 419 3329

00353 87 319 9732

Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity

00353 1 419 3430
00353 87 922 4143

publicity@tv3.ie
www.tv3.ie

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