Julian Fellowes: The cast of Downton Abbey could star in The Gilded Age

RADIO TIMES
By Ellie Walker-Arnott
Thursday 22 January 2015 at 12:28PM



Julian Fellowes' forthcoming American drama, The Gilded Age, may look very familiar.

It seems the man at the helm of Downton Abbey is keen for cast members to take a trip across the pond.

"They can't be the same people because Gilded Age is much earlier. It's in the 1870s, so none of them would be born," Fellowes told RadioTimes.com at the National Television Awards last night. "But I'd love to work with them again. What a good idea. One or two familiar faces just to make [American viewers] feel at home!"



Fellowes reiterated that The Gilded Age will coincide with the Crawleys demise - "I won't do Gilded Age until Downton is done" - but was quick to dispel recent rumours that he is poised to start working on the NBC drama.

"Everyone always keeps announcing that it's about to happen, but I've had that for about four years now."

Even so, Fellowes is excited about his latest project for US network NBC: "I am interested to do another series, because Downton was the first series I'd ever written.

(So glad Julian wants to keep some familiar faces on Gilded Age just for us kooky Yanks, cause you know we will get all hissy if we don't see Mrs. Hughes ever again. - K. Wasylowski)

READ MORE HERE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-01-22/julian-fellowes-the-cast-of-downton-abbey-could-star-in-the-gilded-age

‘Downton Abbey’ Set For Season 6 Only, Says PBS Chief Paula Kerger – TCA

DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD
by Lisa de Moraes
January 19, 2015 11:21am

Bad news, Downton Abbey fans. PBS declined to discuss the future of the period drama

 beyond next January’s Season 6, at Winter TV Press Tour 2015. On Friday, NBC Chairman Bob Greenblatt announced Julian Fellowes’ long-awaited NBC period drama The Gilded Age had been put on the front burner – disturbing news for Downton fans, given that Fellowes writes every episode of the PBS hit.

“I think he’s at a point now where he’s able to start developing and writing our new show,” Greenblatt said during NBC’s portion of the tour.  “Hopefully this show will be coming to life sometime in the next season.”

Greenblatt first had announced Gilded Age more than two years ago, lining up Downton’s creator to create and EP a fictional saga about New York millionaires in the late 19th century. (Downton is produced by Carnival Films, which NBCU subsequently bought.)  Gilded Age was put on hold with Downton’s success.

READ MORE HERE: http://deadline.com/2015/01/downton-abbey-ending-season-6-julian-fellowes-pbs-nbc-tca-1201353070/

Julian Fellowes to quit writing 'Downton Abbey'? Published Tuesday, Feb 19 2013, 12:13pm EST | By Morgan Jeffery (DIGITAL SPY)

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has hinted that the hit period drama could continue without him.

Fellowes told The New York Times that his commitment to US pilot The Gilded Age could force him to abandon his Downton commitments.


"If I'm doing a series at NBC, I would not be able to write all of Downton and all of that series at the same time," he reasoned. "I would hope that by the time all the hurdles have been cleared, the timing makes it so I can then concentrate on the new series.

"If Downton goes on - of course, that's not my decision - then it would be with other writers. Perhaps with me supervising, but with other writers."


Read more: http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s183/downton-abbey/news/a460057/julian-fellowes-to-quit-writing-downton-abbey.html#ixzz2NwoiqVqT
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‘Downton Abbey’ creator will produce American renaissance drama for NBC By Emily Yahr (WASHINGTON POST)

Tough luck for PBS — Julian Fellowes, the creator of the network’s hit ”Downton Abbey,” has decided his next project will go to...NBC.

NBC and Universal Television announced Tuesday that they have signed a deal with Fellowes to create and produce his next drama series. Titled “The Gilded Age,” the show takes place in late 19th-century New York, and is an “epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance.”

The deal with NBC makes sense, given that “Downton” is co-produced by Carnival/Masterpiece, in association with NBCUniversal.

“Downton Abbey” has been a big ratings-getter for PBS, as the second season finale averaged 5.4 million viewers in February. That’s about how many people some NBC dramas tend to attract, right around the same numbers for audiences watching “Parenthood” and “Grimm,” and slightly lower than the current season average of “Law & Order: SVU.”

READ MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/tv-column/post/downton-abbey-creator-will-produce-american-renaissance-drama-for-nbc/2012/11/27/0a57675c-38cd-11e2-b01f-5f55b193f58f_blog.html