Maggie Smith to lead cast of ITV Fellowes drama

Published Friday 19 February 2010 at 15:34 by Matthew Hemley

Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and Hugh Bonneville are to lead the cast of ITV’s forthcoming masters and servants drama Downton Abbey.

Written by Julian Fellowes, the drama will also star Elizabeth McGovern, Phyllis Logan and Joanne Froggatt.

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.

ITV director of drama Laura Mackie said: “We’re delighted with the stellar cast who have come together for Downton Abbey. It’s testament to the quality of Julian’s wonderful scripts and the calibre of the production team that some of the brightest and best of the UK’s leading actors have come on board.”

Downton Abbey will be produced by Carnival Films and NBC Universal and will transmit on ITV1 in autumn 2010.

Seven episodes of the drama have been ordered, with the first running as a 90-minute film.

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