Downton Abbey considers ethnic characters next

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes is considering introducing black or Indian characters into a potential 4th season.

Fellowes told the Telegraph: (article contains spoilers):“Oh I think that’s rather a good idea. You have to work it in in a way that is historically believable, but I am sure we could do that. [The show] certainly ought to have an Indian character from that period.”

Whilst it has already included Turkish nobility, Downton is yet to cast recurring characters of ethnic backgrounds, which is surprising given the show has always been about class.

Upstairs Downstairs previously had Art Malik as Mr Amanjit, a Sikh secretary but ITV’s Midsomer Murders was criticised when creator and producer Brian True-May said that the lack of ethnic minorities made Midsomer Murders “the last bastion of Englishness”. That led to him standing down.

Meanwhile the show is yet to be renewed by ITV (surely just a formality) after the third season wrapped in the UK this week. It is reportedly returning for a Christmas Special, but nothing has been confirmed beyond this.

“I would hope [there will be more] because of the response to this series, but you know [ITV] are always pretty close to their chest in terms of an actual commission. But I think I’d be surprised if there was not a fourth series,” he said.