Downton Abbey stars to descend on Richmond tonight

The current cast were in attendance, including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter and Joanne Froggatt, as well as previous cast members including Dan Stevens, Nigel Harmon and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

LONDON (AP) – The cast and crew of “Downton Abbey” will be awarded a special tribute from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for its outstanding success in Britain and around the world.

Downton Abbey’s sixth and final season, due for broadcast in January 2016 on PBS, is now in production.

“I’d like a movie”. “I am very conscious, finishing the show earlier is a classic thing, quitting while ahead”, he said.

Elizabeth shared a poignant photo of herself and Laura Carmichael, better known as Lady Edith on the show, hugging tightly. She wrote in the caption, “Today is the last day of what has been the most glorious 6 years of my life.

It is just accelerating the idea that Downton Abbey can’t continue the way it has, so the idea of scaling down and downsizing becomes more and more clear”, he said.

Hugh Bonneville, who plays patriarch Lord Grantham looked dapper in a black tuxedo, arrived with wife Lulu Williams.

The stars agreed they’ll miss the friends they’ve made along the way – and will also hate giving up their cinematic alter egos. I’ve lived with these people for seven years now. I’ve never felt, ‘Oh my God, what are we doing?

Other cast members who graced the red carpet at the tribute event included Elizabeth McGovern, Myanna Buring, David Robb and Samantha Bond.

Producers Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge and Gareth Neame were presented with a BAFTA Special Award by Julie Walters for the impact the show has had on global audiences. In a trailer for the sixth season, shown to US critics, the Earl tells him that Downton must shrink its workforce.