To: Julian Fellowes; From: Judi Dench; Re: Downton Abbey 3
While the second series of Downton Abbey is coming to a cliff-hanging close on Christmas Day in the UK and with all eyes in the United States on Sunday, January 8, 2012 when the second series premieres as part of PBS’ Masterpiece, series 3 is just around the corner. As most everyone, except maybe the guy in the Geico commercial that lives under a rock, is aware, ITV has already commissioned a third season of the runaway hit with, according to various reports, much of the brilliant storyline already in the head of writer/creator, Julian Fellowes.
Enter Dame Judi Dench who, it turns out, is a big fan of the Crawley family and a long-time friend of the Dowager Countess herself, fellow dame and star of Downton Abbey, Maggie Smith. Recently at the Harper’s Bazaar Woman of the Year Awards at Claridge’s, Ms. Dench revealed her not-so-secret obsession with DA: “I’ve been bewitched by it. I’m a huge fan. I never wanted it to stop – I haven’t felt that way about a television programme for a long time.”.
As far as the possibility of Dame Judi being cast in the upcoming series, which should begin filming sometime in the early Spring of 2012, she replied: “I’ve not been asked“.
Seems like a no-brainer to me…but, I’m 5000 miles away at the moment. Up to you, Mr. Fellowes. What say you?
