While viewers may still be mourning the death of Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, his replacement has already been found, with Tom Cullen joining the cast of series four as Lady Mary’s new love interest.

Fans were left outraged on Christmas Day after Matthew was killed during the final minutes of the festive special, with his untimely demise coming the same day as the birth of his first child.

Producers tried to quell the unrest by promising a new love interest for Lady Mary, with Miranda star Tom Ellis initially tipped to take the role.

But now Carnival and Masterpiece on PBS – which broadcasts the show in the US – has confirmed Lord Gillingham will be played by Welsh actor Tom Cullen, previously seen starring in the first series of Black Mirror and Ridley Scott miniseries World Without End.

His character is described as ‘an old family friend of the Crawleys who visits the family as a guest for a house party’ – but it’s unclear for how long he will stay at Downton.

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Apologies for not posting this sooner, I wanted to make sure this was confirmed before posting. This article states that both Carnival and Masterpiece have confirmed this casting. What do you think of Michelle’s new love interest? Is he what you pictured?

Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary) and Allen Leech (Tom Branson) — who are already a few episodes into shooting Season 4 — expressed horror at the mere suggestion of such a coupling. “Oooh, I can’t do that,” Dockery says of her character. “He’s my brother-in-law!”

Leech agrees. “While it would be great for drama, I don’t think it would be right for those two,” he says. “As much as they respect each other, they come from very different worlds.”

But the two will bond over their mutual situation as single parents. “We will be spending so much more time together, from what we’ve already seen in the early episodes,” Dockery says. “We’re delighted by that. It’s going to take them both some time before they find someone new.”

Those new people are already on their way. British actor Tom Cullen has been cast as Lord Gillingham, who will be a love interest for Mary, and Leech hints that there may be some canoodling in the nursery between Tom and Downton’s new nanny.

(Source)

ITV.com has officially updated their website with a new promotional image of Mary with baby George, along with some synopsis information.

Downton Abbey series four finds Lady Mary mourning her husband Matthew, who died six months earlier in a tragic car crash.

Matthew had just visited his wife and new baby George in hospital and was returning to see his family when his car overturned killing the heir to Downton.

Will Mary find happiness again in the new series of Downton Abbey which will be back on our screen in the Autumn?

(Source)

Another season 4 promotional image has surfaced, this time, more of a full-length shot of Michelle as Lady Mary with her son in Downton Abbey. A new photoshoot has surfaced as well featuring some very intense close ups of Michelle through a veil.

EDIT: The photographer is Matt Humphrey, and the shoot is from back in 2010 when Michelle was playing Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion. Many thanks to In-flagrante for sending in the tip!

[+1] “Downton Abbey” > Series 4 > Promotional Images
[+5] Photoshoots > Sessions – 2010 > Matt Humphrey

Many thanks to DowntOnline.

The first promotional image of Michelle reprising her role as Mary in the fourth series of Downton Abbey has surfaced online, as well as some major plot details.

“Season 4 will begin 6 months after the funeral of Matthew Crawley. It will see his young widow, Mary, struggling to come to terms with bringing up their baby son alone, as friends and family rally to lift her spirits. The season will focus on Lady Mary’s struggle as a young widow and her “difficult” relationship with her baby.”

(Source)

[+1] “Downton Abbey” > Series 4 > Promotional Images

Downton Abbey‘s Michelle Dockery recently discussed the impact that the tumultuous events of series 3 may have on her character, the imperturbable Mary Crawley. Serious spoilers ahead for series 3.

Of course, let’s start things off here with a warning: if you want to be surprised about the ending to “Downton Abbey” season 3, you really need to stop reading now.

Caution: Spoiler alert!

After three successful series and two Christmas editions of Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens decided not to renew his contract beyond the initial three years he had been contracted.

We wish him every success for the future. Michelle Dockery will be returning to her role as Lady Mary in series four which begins production in February.

Over the last three years, audiences across the world have been captivated by the ups and downs of Mary and Matthew’s relationship, culminating in their wedding.

Fans have enjoyed what has become a solid and loving marriage. It is for this reason that the Producers decided Matthew and Mary could not simply be estranged or parted, resulting in his untimely and tragic death at the end of the Christmas episode.

In the next series, alongside all the usual drama, comedy and romance involving the much loved cast of characters, viewers will see Mary adjusting to her life and attempting to move on without the man she loved.

Source

The third season of “Downton Abbey” is premiering on PBS next month, and the network’s executives are already looking ahead to the series’ fourth season will hit the airwaves stateside.

“The audiences for ‘Downton’ have been terrific,” senior VP and PBS’ chief programming executive John Wilson noted in an interview with THR. “So you can’t say that [airing months earlier in the UK] has knocked the legs out from underneath ‘Downton Abbey.’ On the other hand, we can’t know how much more terrific it might have been had it aired closer to the UK premiere.”

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