Downton Abbey stars Sophie McShera and Michael C. Fox have teased the future of the franchise.
The latest cinematic outing of the beloved period drama has finally arrived in the form of Downton Abbey: A New Era, with the servants of Downton getting a major treat when a glamorous film crew turns up on the estate to begin production on a new motion picture.
Of course, the servants themselves are not without their own dramas and stories too.
Stars Sophie McShera and Michael C. Fox have discussed the stories for their characters – assistant cook Daisy and her husband and first footman Andy Parker, respectively – in the new sequel, after their characters married off-screen between films.
Speaking with RadioTimes.com, McShera said of the characters’ unseen wedding: “We invented it off-screen.”
Fox added: “It’s quite lively. Yeah, like a fiddle player…”
“Yeah, good food,” added McShera.
“Good dancing. On Point. Mrs Patmore did a kind of interpretive dance,” continued Fox.
“Yeah, of course, she did. Mrs Hughes was on the karaoke, always,” joked McShera.
In the film, the two characters deal with living at a farm with Daisy’s former father-in-law Mr Murray and how that impacts their marriage, while Daisy is delighted when a film crew turns up at Downton.
On the characters’ marriage and its future, McShera noted: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen with their marriage.”
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/04/4178_D003_00068_RC-bae325d.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
“We were really excited by seeing them away from the house and in a really kind of personal setting,” commented Fox.
“Yeah, and just they’re really relaxed because you never really see them like that they’re always working and I liked the idea of seeing them like as sort of Gogglebox characters on the sofa.”
“And they seem really content,” noted McShera.
She added: “Yeah, but I think you never know with Julian [Fellowes] you just don’t know what’s gonna happen. And you especially never know with Daisy. She’s not great at settling down.”
Fox went on: “[Julian Fellowes] doesn’t really like leaving characters happy for too long. So they’re happy and they’re content for now, but I’m sure they’ll do something to subvert that.”
For A New Era, an amused McShera thought that Daisy wouldn’t “have a wandering eye because she always fancied someone, but she fancies someone else in this film as well.”
Fox laughed and noted that Andy is “just more content”, but McShera called him “very secure”.
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/04/4178_D005_00085_RC2-7558db7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
Discussing where the franchise could go next after the second film, McShera and Fox offered some insights on what they would like to see.
“Yeah, you see it start and you see this idea of, they need to sort of work out how to survive, that’s happening in this film because it can’t go on the way it’s been.,” revealed McShera.
“I think that’s really fascinating. Watching that transition would be really interesting. Sort of them trying to be pragmatic and trying to work out how to keep going.”
Fox agreed, noting it would need to focus on how they all figure out “how to adapt”.
![""]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/04/4178_D009_01379_RC-b309ded.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"\"")
He continued: “We know it’s an interesting thing because we know how a house like Downton ends up. You know, we’ve seen how they have to evolve because there’s so many around the country. So it’s like, how can I do anything, everything’s up for grabs?
“You know, I think Andy, probably out of most of them would stay within the house, and he wants that trajectory to end up like Carson.”
However, change is afoot for everyone, Fox notes, as “everything’s kind of moving away and adapting and redefining themselves away from this hierarchy because it’s gradually getting pulled apart.
“So I’d be really fascinated to see where they go when they’re not within the house.”
- Read More: Downton Abbey: A New Era cast – Full list of confirmed actors and characters
- Read More: Downton Abbey creator talks potential third movie: “You never know”
- Read More: Downton Abbey: A New Era review – Crowd-pleasing but low-stakes drama
Downton Abbey: A New Era is released in UK cinemas on Friday 29th April 2022. For more, check out our dedicated Movies page or our full TV Guide.
The new issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door, and for more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.