Tragic news for Downton Abbey fans

There’s two different types of people in this world – those who don’t love Downton Abbey and those who absolutely adore it. Sadly, the show will be changing dramatically after one character has announced they’ll be leaving the show within a year or two.

The Dowager Countess, played by the elegant and talented Maggie Smith is the quick and sharp matriarch of the show. However Maggie Smith confirmed in an interview with the New York Times that the upcoming season would be the last for her character.

“They say this is the last one, and I can’t see how it could go on… I mean, I certainly can’t keep going. To my knowledge I must be 110 by now”, Maggie said while being interviewed.

According to a report in the New York Times, neither the show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, nor an executive producer, Gareth Neame, has confirmed that the show will run past Season 6. Mr. Fellowes said in a media interview, “It’s not really my decision. I don’t own ‘Downton Abbey’ now. NBC Universal owns ‘Downton Abbey'”.

Season 5, episode 9 – the finale – has just gone to air leaving Twitter threads wide open and hearts aching. But the knowledge that Maggie Smith wouldn’t return for Season 7 surely puts a lot of optimism to bed.

It’s a difficult thing as fans of the show have grown to love her entertaining role and the fans in our Starts at 60 office are quite saddened to hear the news. Although then again it will open up a series of possible new storylines for the fans and we do look forward to still watching it!

Tell us, how do you feel about the news? Are you a little saddened by it too?