downton abbey
Image © copyright of Downtown Abbey

Downton Abbey has released the first cast image for the sixth and final season and the very observant have notice that missing from the Crawley clan picture are… Branson and Rose, Allen Leech and Lily James!

Lily James and Allen Leech
Image © copyright of Downtown Abbey

Now, if you’re all caught up with the show and not just relying on Netflix, you’ll remember that they planned in the 2014 Christmas special to move to the US.

Did it happen? We don’t know! Reps from the show aren’t answering questions about whether they’ll be on the series at all when Downton Abbey’s final season premieres Sunday, January 3rd on PBS.

The next questions being asked is about a possible spinoff show and it looks like the answer is no.

“There are no plans to make a spinoff,” executive producer Gareth Neame said. “There’s been endless speculation about this, but there are no definite plans for a spinoff. Again, I couldn’t rule it out.”

They are talking about a Downton Abbey movie though!

“Our position on that is we would be very interested in that. It is definitely something we’re contemplating. It would be great fun to do. I think it would be a wonderful extension of everything that people loved about the TV show, but I can’t confirm that it’s definitely going to happen,”  he said. “We shall see.”