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Filming has begun on ITV’s new costume drama, Downton Abbey, written and created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes and made by Carnival Films for ITV. The production will be filming at various locations including Highclere Castle, Berkshire and Ealing Studios.
Highclere Castle, soon to be transformed into Downton Abbey, is the home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the home of their ancestors, the Herbert family since the early 18th century.
"We are very much looking forward to welcoming the production of Downton Abbey to our home and estate. It will be wonderful to see actors in period Edwardian costumes walking about the grounds and we wish Julian and the cast and crew every success for its television debut later this year." Lord and Lady Carnarvon, Highclere Castle.
Executive Producer and Managing Director of Carnival Films, Gareth Neame said;
"Highclere Castle is the perfect location for the family home in our drama. The estate is absolutely breathtaking and the house itself is splendid beyond belief. Julian had Highclere in mind when he was writing the script and we are thrilled that Lord and Lady Carnarvon have agreed to allow us to invade their beautiful home and grounds for the duration of our shoot."
Maggie Smith plays Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham and heads up an all-star cast that includes Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham and Elizabeth McGovern as Robert’s wife, Cora, Countess of Grantham.
The cast also includes Penelope Wilton, Dan Stevens, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Nicol, Siobhan Finneran, Rob James Collier, Joanne Froggatt and Rose Leslie.
Set in an Edwardian country house in 1912, Downton Abbey will portray the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them.
Downton Abbey will be produced by Carnival/NBCU and executive produced by Carnival’s Managing Director, Gareth Neame. The series producer is Liz Trubridge (From Time to Time, A Short Stay in Switzerland), the producer is Nigel Marchant (Fanny Hill, The Philanthropist) and the directors are Brian Percival (Gracie, A Boy Called Dad), Ben Bolt (Doc Martin, Ashes to Ashes) and Brian Kelly (Lilies, Torchwood).
Director of Television, ITV, Peter Fincham and Director of Drama, Laura Mackie have ordered seven episodes of the drama with Julian Fellowes writing the majority of scripts and overseeing the series. The first episode will be a 90-minute film followed by 6 x 60” episodes and will transmit on ITV1 in autumn 2010.
Julian Fellowes is best known for Gosford Park, which won a host of awards, not least an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2001. His most recent film, The Young Victoria, also won an Oscar in 2010 for Best Costume Design. In addition to his work as a writer, Julian is an actor, director and producer.
