Julian Fellowes’ hit “Downton Abbey” has yet to premiere its fourth season in the U.S., but it’s already planning a fifth season on both the U.K.‘s ITV and on PBS stateside.
The series, originally planned as a miniseries but picked up for multiple seasons due to its success both in the U.K. and the U.S., averaged almost 12 million viewers during its fourth season on ITV.
Premiere dates have not been announced, but the fifth season is expected to mirror past debut schedules and launch in the U.K. in fall 2014 and the U.S. the following January.
Season 4 wrapped up on Nov. 10 on ITV, and debuts on PBS on Jan. 5, 2014. “Downton” will also air a Christmas special on ITV and a preview special on PBS called “Return to Downton Abbey” on Dec. 1 hosted by Susan Sarandon.
Read more at Digital Spy.
Brief Take: Social media fans and word of mouth have catapulted “Downton Abbey” to the top of ratings charts since its debut in 2010, allowing both PBS and ITV to enhance their brand images through the series.
[Image courtesy of PBS]
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