Filming for a new series of “Downton Abbey” has secretly begun.
The historical drama, whose last episode aired just over eight years ago, is celebrating a surprising comeback in the seventh season.
The Bosses hoped to bring back some of the big-name actors such as Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Joanne Froggatt, who appeared in the last six seasons and two film spin-offs.
Although it's not known whether everyone has signed up, bosses are said to be “thrilled” with their line-up.
The return of the show, which was filmed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire and covered the many social changes and world events between 1912 and 1928, is expected to hit screens later this year.
The cast of the first season of Downtown Abbey, which premiered in 2010, is pictured above
For the new season, bosses were hoping to bring back some of the big-name actors such as Hugh Bonneville (left), Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern (right) and Joanne Froggatt, who appeared in the last six seasons and two film spin-offs
It is understood to be broadcast on ITV, where it aired from 2010 to 2015.
Old episodes of Downton are well watched on the broadcaster's streaming platform ITVX, which is why TV insiders expect they will do their utmost to prevent the film from going to rivals such as Netflix and Amazon.
A source close to the project told the Mail: “Filming has been going on for a few weeks now, it's all very, very secret.” There are people working on it who have never seen such secrecy.
“The people working on set have been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements to keep them from revealing the game, but there is great excitement about the return of Downton.”
“It’s been such a huge success before and there are so many more stories to tell, it seemed such a shame not to be able to do more with it, but they made it happen.”
The Mail on Sunday revealed last May that bosses were hoping to revive the series, and in December creator Julian Fellowes didn't rule out a return when asked if there would be a comeback.
He told Radio Times: “I said goodbye to Downton so many times and wrote the final scene about six or seven times. “Now I'm not in the habit of making constant statements about whether it's gone.
“It just makes me really happy that so many people liked it. I love the feeling that you created a show that cheered people up and they had a good time with it.”
The final episode of the show, which served as a launching pad for the careers of Ms. Dockery, who played Lady Mary, Lily James, who played Lady Rose, and Jessica Brown Findlay, who played Lady Sybil, aired on Christmas Day 2015. Viewership peaked at 7.4 million.
In the finale, viewers saw Edith – played by Laura Carmichael – and Bertie, played by Harry Hadden-Patton, finally get married on New Year's Eve 1925.
The final series was followed by two films, one in 2019 and the other in 2022.