Breeanna Hare
CNN
The bad news is that we’re still weeks away from “Downton Abbey’s” fourth season premiering in the U.S.
But the good news is that once we do get to re-immerse ourselves in the world of the Crawleys, we’ll have the comfort of knowing that even more episodes are on the way.
The British television show has officially been renewed for a fifth season, PBS, which airs the series stateside, confirmed in a statement.
“Audiences have enjoyed their regular Sunday evening visits back to ‘Downton’ once again this autumn and we are thrilled to produce a new series of the show next year,” said executive producer Gareth Neame. “We promise all the usual highs and lows, romance, drama and comedy played out by some of the most iconic characters on television. All the actors and makers of the show continue to be humbled by the extraordinary audience response and want to take the show from strength to strength next year.”
The fourth season of “Downton,” which will transport viewers to the ’20s and introduce a number of new characters, including “Downton’s” first recurring black character in Gary Carr’s jazz singer Jack Ross.
“It just felt right,” creator Julian Fellowes has told CNN of giving Carr’s Ross a “strong narrative” in season four. “We wanted to show that the world was changing and broadening and this is a new era – not just the music, but the people playing it was different than before the war.”
Tune in when “Downton Abbey’s” fourth season premieres on January 5.