Hugh Bonneville like a kid at Christmas (yahoo entertainment)

Hugh Bonneville gets ''pathetically excited'' about Father Christmas.

The 'Downton Abbey' actor has confessed he turns into an eager child during the festive season and is ''religious'' about making sure everything is done right for the arrival of the main man on Christmas Day (25.12.12).

He revealed: ''I'm in charge of games. No, my main role is to keep out of the way! I get pathetically excited about Father Christmas coming and I'm religious about putting out mince pies and a glass of wine and then checking for

footprints in the fireplace.''

Hugh, who has 11-year-old son Felix with wife of 27 years Lulu Williams, will make several appearances on UK TV this year. Not only will he star in the 'Downton Abbey' Christmas special as Lord Grantham but he will also be in David Walliams' adaptation of children's book 'Mr Stink', playing the main character.

READ MORE: http://nz.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/article/-/15708976/hugh-bonneville-like-a-kid-at-christmas/

Downton Abbey Christmas special: what’s in store this festive season? (spoilers)

Mon 05 Dec 2011 10:48

Downton Abbey is back for a two-hour special this Christmas, and fans of the show cannot wait to find out what’s in store for their favourite characters.

Although exact plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, we have a sneak peek at what’s in store for Downton over the festive season.

The servants have been given the day off as Earl Grantham takes to the kitchen to prepare a festive feats, but the Countess of Grantham is about to make a shocking discovery. Is she about to find out that he shared a kiss with housemaid Jane?

It’s the season of goodwill, but with Bates having been arrested for the murder of his first wife, a shadow has been cast over the festivities. Will he be found innocent in time to attend the annual servants’ ball in time to dance with his new wife?

Mary has some thinking to do about her future with Sir Richard Carlisle following an unforeseen event at the shooting party, while Violet is worried about Rosamund, whose new suitor, the dashing Lord Hepworth, is not all he seems.

Love may also be on the cards for Lady Mary and Matthew after Matthew’s fiancée Lavinia, who died of Spanish ‘flu, gave the pair her blessing to get together.

Trouble is also brewing for Thomas and Sarah O’Brien as they foolishly play with a Ouija board.

Don’t miss Downton Abbey on STV on Christmas Day.

MORE FROM DOWNTON ABBEY

• Downton Abbey to return for a third series
• Characters are accused of using too modern phrases
• See all the latest Downton Abbey news

STV

A Downton Abbey Christmas

By Bill Young ⋅ November 18, 2011

 

 

As avid U.S. viewers of Downton Abbey are acutely aware, lucky UK telly watchers have already been treated to an early Christmas with the recent completion of the second series of the hit ITV series. But wait. There’s one more present to unwrap. Even though the Downton Abbey Christmas Special broadcast schedule has not yet been set, early pictures are starting to surface. Thanks to Ian Wylie (@ianwylie), a stellar UK journalist who has spent many an evening at Highclere Castle the past couple of years, for sharing the photo depicting residents of Downton Abbey in a really cool looking sepia-tone photo. The new special will take viewers into the new year of 1920.

While UK viewers will be able to open the gift the world is waiting for either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, U.S. viewers will have to wait until early March 2012 which will be the end of the PBS Masterpiece broadcast of season two which premieres Sunday, January 8, 2012. While Christmas can’t come soon enough for telly watchers in the UK, fear not, U.S. fans of Downton Abbey, January 8 is just around the corner.

Telespotting