British drama series "Downton Abbey' will be having a Christmas special episode this 2015, as confirmed by one of its stars.
Hugh Bonneville, who portrays the Earl of Grantham in the period drama from ITV, announced the news at a London event and dropped hints about the sixth season possibly becoming the last season of 'Downton Abbey.'
The 51-year-old actor revealed the news as he spoke to the media at the TRIC Awards, stating: "We will. We'll do a ninth episode which will come out at Christmas."
Currently, the cast and crew are filming the eight episodes of the series' upcoming sixth season.
"We're in 1925, so the series has nudged on another six months, and Lady Rose has been on her honeymoon and she's now moved to America," Bonneville shared.
He also spoke about Branson leaving the family and the possibilities of the characters from season five moving on and making an appearance in season six.
"Tom Branson has gone to Boston, and some faces that we met towards the end of the fifth season may or may not be coming over the horizon to break or make the hearts of Lady Mary and Lady Edith and people like that," the actor said.
The show's executive producer, Gareth Neame, also dropped clues that the only time Branson and Rose will be making an appearance in the show is when they come back home to Britain.
"Both their characters have traveled to America to make new lives, but they are members of this family so a visit home may well happen at some time," Neame said.
It has been confirmed that "Downton Abbey' will never carry out filming in America as it would be 'very expensive.' In an interview with entertainment news website Deadline, Neame also hinted that the series' producers will not attempt to even stage American backgrounds in England.
According to series creator and writer Julian Fellowes, it will not be his decision as to when the show will be put to a stop. While he explained that such circumstances will be decided by the NBC Universal owners, he promised that he will stay committed to working for the series.
"NBC Universal [which owns Carnival Films] owns Downton Abbey. So I could walk away. But I wouldn't walk away. It's too much my baby," the 65-year-old director said. "It won't go on forever "” I'm not a believer in that. But I can't immediately now tell you where the end will be."
