Original subtitles

For 15 years, Highclere Castle has been the home of Downton Abbey.

'Over six seasons and three films,

'all life has happened, inside and out.

'Upstairs...' Is it true, what Lavinia says?

'..and down.' PLATES SHATTERING

'Love...' I'm asking you to marry me.

'..and loss.' No!

'Family...' Are we ready?

'..and friendship.

'Betrayal...

'..and redemption.' Mr Bates is coming back to Downton!

And more drama than the Dowager Countess

could shake a stick at.

CANE THUDS I forbid it.

You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house.

I'm Michelle Dockery,

and for the cast and crew of Downton Abbey,

Highclere has been our home, too.

This beloved world of tea, tears, and tiaras...

I do apologise, but Lady Mary must go.

..is reaching its closing chapter with our third and final film.

You must be Mr Sandbrook. Welcome to Downton.

Come in and have some tea.

Tonight, you are invited to tea with our entire Downton family

at London's iconic Savoy Hotel.

There'll be celebration...

I'll just pose casually by this.

LAUGHTER ..memories...

My line was, "We could ask the village people to help."

LAUGHTER ..and lots of laughter.

She went... LAUGHTER

It is him. LAUGHTER

Plus one or two surprises.

I don't know whether people know about myself and Michelle.

I've got something for you. ALL: Oh!

Including the world premiere of an exclusive scene from our film.

Is this funny or impertinent? Find it funny, please.

So join us in a toast to the house,

the heart, and the people of Downton Abbey,

as we celebrate The Grand Finale.

Feels like we're in some sort of weird reality show

where we don't know who's going to appear.

But it's very good of you to host it at home, I have to say that.

LAUGHTER

We like the way you've done it. Thank you.

Oh, this old thing? LAUGHING: Yeah!

I've enjoyed a good life in your service, my lord. I hope so.

Be great to see everybody, won't it? I'm excited, yeah.

15 years.

I've gone through several shades of grey since we started.

I think we both had darker hair then.

LAUGHTER

You were by my side when I inherited,

and here we still are, however many years later.

Be exciting. I mean, and possibly,

who knows, maybe the last time we all get together.

MOCK TEARFULLY: Don't say that, Tim. Oh, no, no, I've set him off.

He's so sentimental. LAUGHTER

Oh, look, here we are. Oh, what a surprise.

Say. Oh, hello.

Lovely to see you.

Thank heaven, we'll soon be home.

Hello. Mwah!

A wise choice, if I may say so, milady.

I have to say that Jim and I are always at a disadvantage,

because you two look nothing like you do in the show, so...

You don't recognise us. No!

Exactly!

How are you?

I'm very well. I'm excited about this.

It'll be fun, getting the gang back together.

Film starts soon. Everybody, hopefully, will enjoy it.

The fans will flock in in their gazillions.

Of course. Well, it's certainly one for the fans, isn't it?

It's a farewell, a love letter to everyone who's, you know,

been loyal enough to stay with us all these years.

We did it for us.

Did you? I did it for the money. LAUGHTER

Yay! Dun-dun-dun!

THEY CHUCKLE

PHYLLIS: Yay!

When I look back, it was just incredible, you know,

the places it took us, the fun we've had.

I am very grateful.

Don't be. You're my sister.

I remember reading the scripts and just being so excited.

They were so good.

You went to bed with a stranger?

'I hoped it would be a big deal, but none of us knew what would happen.'

I feel lucky that... that I get to sort of be a part of this huge show.

Mr Carson, can I help?

'I think it's something we all feel super proud of.'

It's the right time for it to end.

I think this is a beautiful way to end it.

You and all of Sybil's family have given me everything.

'And I'll miss it.'

I got a call about going to audition for a period drama,

and I thought, "Well, I think I've done a few period dramas.

"But... Maggie Smith's in it?

"Perhaps I will go in for an audition for a period drama, then."

And I know I would have been annoyed if I hadn't got the part.

I mean, that sounds a bit vain, but I thought,

"No, I can do... I know this. I can do this."

And I was delighted when... when I did get it, of course.

When the audition came in, there was a real buzz.

And I, like you, Jim, I felt I would have been really upset

if I hadn't got it.

And I just sort of fell in love with the character,

and just played it as best I could.

And as I walked out, Dan Stevens was sat in the waiting area.

And I said, "Matthew?"

And he went, "Yeah. Mary?" THEY CHUCKLE

And we kind of looked at one another,

and I just... I remember thinking, "Well, that could work."

LAUGHS

Goodbye, Mary, and God bless you.

I remember getting a call from my agent,

"You got the part, you got the part!"

And I was just, like, thrilled.

And then the next sentence was,

"You gotta go to your accent coach on Thursday at ten o'clock."

I was like, "OK, OK! My accent coach?"

"Yeah, you're playing American."

I was like, "I am American."

And they said, "No, but you gotta go to your accent coach,"

who was an English person

who taught me how to speak with an American accent.

What did they teach you? That was how it started. Amazing.

I kind of felt like I was coming in as the newbie

in episode four of Season 1. Yeah.

And I remember being so nervous, doing that scene with Hugh and Jim.

And the lunch break, I went into my little trailer,

you know, I did my scene, haven't been fired yet.

LAUGHTER

And it was Michelle came, just knocked on the door,

she had her hair up in one of those blue...

Blue nets. Hairnets.

And she went, "All right? We're all having lunch."

Cos it was a beautiful day, and we were all at Highclere.

And she brought me out, and we all sat on the grass.

And it's, I think, the essence of that welcoming nature

that, as a cast, we've always, when anyone has come in... Yeah.

..had that sense of, "Come in, you're gonna have a great time."

And we had, pretty much, I think,

our first scenes together, didn't we? Yeah.

It was on the first day of the shoot,

and it was a scene where I was crying,

which felt like a huge thing to start with.

And we were so good in it, they cut it.

They cut it, yeah. But you were so kind.

I think you must have realised how terrified I was, and how you...

I was as terrified as you, trust me. Yeah.

I do remember, that first read-through, we started to read,

and suddenly, it was like, "Oh, my God." It was huge.

The script went... MIMICS EXPLOSION

It just came to life.

It was just like lightning had struck.

And we had no idea. No idea.

None. No idea then that it was gonna take off like it did,

and we'd be recognised from China to Patagonia.

And I remember, didn't you say something to Laura

about, "This doesn't happen often, dear?"

Well, this doesn't happen to any of us.

I mean, this doesn't happen to Maggie Smith.

You know, Maggie, with Oscars dripping out of every handbag,

you know, I mean, even she's not been in something

as globally successful as this.

So I mean, it was a phenomenon that nobody saw it coming, really. No.

Oh, hello. Here's trouble. Oh, now, hello!

Hello. Nice to see you. Hello.

How are you? Good!

It's your time now.

Lovely to see you.

I do have some ideas of my own.

Carter. Hello, darling.

I admire you, Lady Mary. You're very brave.

Plethora of loveliness!

So, we walked back along Piccadilly,

then down through the Green Park.

Everyone, have a seat. I'll just pose casually by this.

LAUGHTER

Still to come on Downton Abbey Celebrates The Grand Finale...

PLAYS THEME MUSIC 'Music...'

Oh, yeah. It's so stirring. It gives you chills.

'..costumes...'

Obviously, I'm gonna bring up Daisy. What?

And her evolution through style.

To be honest, last year was chaotic. I beg your pardon?

'..and more memories from the cast.'

I don't know where to look.

I'm just gonna look down. LAUGHTER

Plus, a world-exclusive scene from our brand-new film.

LAUGHTER

We have had some giggles, though.

I had to do a scene where Anna was looking for Mr Bates,

and she went into a public house.

Director said, "Oh, just so you know,

"it'd be really shocking for a woman to walk into a pub on her own."

So, this older gentleman was at the bar,

and he was like, "Oh, OK, all right."

So, then, I walked in, and he literally went like this.

LAUGHTER

Yeah.

And then the director went, "A little less shocked than that."

LAUGHTER

I remember Maggie, in the first season,

the director said, "If we can start the scene

"as if you're already in conversation."

And they said, "OK, action."

And she looked at me and went, "Pardon?"

LAUGHTER

And it was just terrifying, having to improvise with Maggie.

Do you remember, we had our big fete in the... in the...

Did you say a fight? No. Oh, a fete?

No, a fete, darling. Sorry.

I'm just translating for the Americans. Fete - a party.

Which means a fair. In the grounds of the castle.

But, you know, for some reason, we'd lost some people.

I don't know what. But anyway, my line was,

"Oh, we could ask the village people to help."

LAUGHTER

And all I could picture was all these bare-chested lumberjacks.

I feel like this film wraps up so beautifully

every single character and their storyline. Yes.

And while they are rounding...

You know, all rounded off, in a way, they're not ended.

There's always a sort of sense of, "What's going to happen next?"

Each film, actually, has kind of been building to this moment

where the baton is firmly...

Finally, finally! ..finally passed on!

He finally lets go of it.

And in so many of the storylines.

You know, it's Daisy and Mrs Patmore.

At least you're still around, Mrs Patmore.

Oh, only until now. Daisy's cooking dinner tonight.

By tomorrow morning, I'll have retired as well.

So bring your complaints to me.

Carson and Andy.

I would like to thank you, Mr Carson.

You've taught me so much,

and I hope, one day, I'll be a worthy successor.

It's the next generation moving forward.

And, I think, Anna, with the costumes,

I mean, they're just exquisite.

I mean, every time, it feels like she surpasses herself.

Yes. Every single time.

There's gonna be a run on your red dress, I can tell you.

The red dress is something else. Going into mass production.

Anna, do you always know where you're going with the costume?

Or do you start sketching and it can change drastically?

Or do you sort of have a set idea straightaway?

Lady Mary's red dress that she wears to the Petersfield Ball,

I knew straight away the silhouette that I wanted that to be,

and the colour.

And that's not in the script, so that's just come to you?

Yeah, and I think, as well,

I knew there was gonna be some really focused shots,

front and back, with her coming and going,

and the fact there was a gift of the scene written,

in the atelier, where she's trying on the dress.

You will be a sensation.

'So you know there's gonna be proper 360-degree focus.'

And quite often, you can spend ages designing something

that's glorious all the way around,

and then someone's sitting in a chair, and you hardly see it.

Obviously, I'm gonna bring up Daisy and her evolution through style.

LAUGHTER

'Daisy's kind of really grown up on camera.'

Have you missed me? Of course!

'She's, you know, found her own sense of style,

'has a little bit more means.'

Don't tell Annie!

I think in this final film, it was definitely, like,

trying to push as much as we could

this really cute little preppy, Chanel-inspired vibe,

little jackets and cute hats.

This is Mrs Parker.

I definitely felt that when I was doing the scene in the village hall,

and she's finding her confidence.

Last year's arrangements will, for the most part, stand?

Yes, absolutely.

Is that a good idea?

It really helps to express that with the clothes.

What?

Well, to be honest, last year was chaotic.

I beg your pardon?

And then there's the big set pieces

I think people will really love, like Ascot.

Oh, I thought they were wonderful.

I mean, apart from it looking beautiful,

the actual racing...

It looks incredible. Yeah.

I mean, it was so exciting.

HORSE HOOVES THUDDING, AUDIENCE YELLING

Oh.

Shouldn't you wait and see if there's a stewards' inquiry?

Talking about the production design, really,

I mean, Donal's work throughout, let's face it, is astonishing.

Oh, it's beautiful. It's beautiful.

It evokes all that time.

With a project like Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,

where does it start for you?

Each film, we've tried to give

the audience something bigger and better and more exciting.

Royal Ascot is now a modern glass building

and not good for any of this.

So we ended up looking at probably 14

of the flat racing courses around the country.

The other problem is, we were filming in the summer,

which is the height of the flat racing season,

and we needed it for a week.

So there's lots of logistical things that we had to sort out.

And we ended up at Ripon Racecourse,

a quiet little Yorkshire racecourse.

They were very accommodating and very understanding

of all our needs.

That's Yorkshire for you.

Shall we go to the royal enclosure?

Don't make him wait any longer, Bertie.

He's panting for it.

HE LAUGHS I would like to see it.

Go, all of you.

We'll stay here. Are you sure?

I am.

When we were filming up in Harrogate

doing Ascot and the county fair,

it's really special when both upstairs and downstairs

are all together doing a scene

because we get to hang out, all staying in the same hotel.

It was so lovely.

But there have been hundreds of moments over the years.

ALLEN: It was incredibly poignant reading this final script,

knowing that that's the end of a journey

that's been 14 years of my life

and also with what have become my second family.

We are like family.

We've all been there for each other.

And it's really important in this film particularly

because we know it's the last one,

is to relish every second.

If it wasn't a great group of people,

we wouldn't all keep coming back.

So I guess it shows that we have all really enjoyed this experience.

It's amazing that we are in this gang that, after 15 years,

we all still really like hanging out with each other,

even outside work.

I owe a lot to this show.

I think, like, so much of my life

has been shaped around this show, you know?

What about if somebody said, "You are going to find your wife"?

I know. I know. And have a child.

I know. It's incredible. Life-changing stuff.

Downton is a sort of central pillar for all of our lives,

and we've kind of adapted and moved around it.

And really, the older ones have watched the younger ones

kind of grow up. Yeah.

It's kind of touching, really, to be there with them.

I know. It is lovely for the start of everybody.

I mean, we are sort of in the twilight of our careers...

Oh, would you stop? You know what I mean.

I'm not having that.

Most of our career is behind us rather than ahead of us.

Well, it is with that attitude.

LAUGHTER

I'm not listening to this.

Carry on. Well, it's true.

You were legends when you started this show.

That's how we felt.

Another thing that I don't know whether a lot of people know,

that what's come out about myself and Michelle

is that we're related.

In real life? In real life.

Third cousins. Wow.

Just as well you didn't marry her.

Well, exactly, yeah. LAUGHTER

Obviously, one of your bessies.

You're best mates, aren't you?

I could cry thinking about it.

But it's amazing.

I know that we'll always speak this sort of secret language

to each other or something.

We just get each other.

And I think that's part of having sisters in real life,

and then playing sisters.

We have a shorthand.

And I don't have any kids, but Sophie's a bit of a... Yeah.

Your relationship with Sophie is amazing.

It's not mother and daughter

cos she's got a fine mother of her own, of course.

I don't know what it is, but it's a proper friendship.

It's so special. As is ours.

As is ours. As is ours. I know.

I had a very grim experience three years ago.

You...

You rang me every day for the next part of a year.

And I've got some good friends, but you were the one, babuh.

Yeah. She really did.

I always will be. I know you will. I know.

But that's... that's real. That's what's authentic about this.

And I think people know this is real.

Oh, you can see it in every glance and every moment.

You know, it's why people...

it resonates with people because you can really feel the...

the history and the relationship through the screen,

and it's extraordinary.

Yeah, we's lucky. We's lucky, in't we? Did all right!

Not so bad, is it? We's lucky.

We's lucky, in't we? SHE CHUCKLES

Still to come -

composer John Lunn reveals the secrets

behind Downton Abbey's iconic music.

So, there's a big rising string tune.

SOFT PIANO MUSIC

Amazing.

My God, what a melody.

And a world-exclusive scene from our brand-new movie.

At the start of the story, we're in 1930.

But now we are in another financial crisis.

You know, the roof is falling in.

But thankfully, we know that there's gonna be a cash injection

from Cora's late mother.

Cora.

And in this movie, it really emphasizes this sense

that this world of Downton is the past

and that there's a future world sort of encroaching.

The Americans represent some of that future world.

Hello, Mary. Mama.

And you must be Mr Sandbrook. Welcome to Downton.

I mean, particularly guys like Sandbrook.

I hope you won't be bored.

Harold and I have a lot to talk about.

You can talk in front of Gus.

Come in and have some tea.

So it's a bit of a shock to discover that her brother

has actually taken most of the money and invested it incredibly unwisely.

Give me some credit. I've known you since you were born.

'I think people will enjoy it. It's a great movie.'

I collected all of these, but I can only find one...

Oh, yes. ..which is the marriage of Lady Mary and Henry.

ALL: Aw.

And they're very beautifully done, aren't they?

They're really lovely. Properly done.

There's hymns in there and everything. Yeah.

I did take my last menu card from the day.

I have that framed at home.

But is there anything that you kind of

feel that you would have loved to have taken from your character?

Well, I asked for...

cos my chatelaine is something that I wore all the time.

It's iconic.

My chatelaine. You had that all the time?

I had that all the time, from the very beginning.

I know, but I... Oh, hello.

Sorry to interrupt.

Sorry, but Phyllis, I've got something for you.

ALL GASP

Oh!

You are kidding. Wow.

Where's the scissors?

HE LAUGHS Where's the scissors?

Aw. Aw! Now we know where they've been.

Where did you find...?

No, there should be a pair of scissors hanging off that.

Yes. Safety.

Aw. There you go.

It's a pleasure... Well done.

Did you nick them? Is that what it is?

Oh, moi?

No, I am famous for not taking things from the set.

I'm sorry, he said sanctimoniously.

Oh, hang on, if you're doing this... Oh, yeah.

..I really loved driving that 1910 Renault.

Right, just a minute. Give me a second, I'll go and get it.

Lady Mary.

'At the start of the film, we find Mary in a good place.

'The divorce has opened up a new chapter in her life.'

I think that she's ready to embark on something new.

We fought like cats.

He wanted to be kingpin.

But I was the heiress, and he was just the husband.

He hated that.

How intriguing.

So, we're honoured to have John Lunn, composer, with us here.

So, I'm curious what you were thinking

when you came up with the theme tune.

The theme came from the very beginning

of the very first episode.

And it starts off with a train, you know, so...

ENERGETIC PIANO MUSIC

Just going with the energy of the train.

Sure. And then it finally lands on Bates.

But he looks like he's had his...

his best years have been behind him, you know?

So I picked out this lonely tune kind of for him.

So this is going on at the same time as...

SOMBRE PIANO MUSIC

Oh. Right?

And then it goes to the telegraph pole,

and the train's kind of following the telegram as well.

And it's carrying the information

that the heir to Downton Abbey has been drowned on the Titanic.

Oh, my God.

The audience know nothing of this.

So the music's giving it an importance

that you would otherwise miss.

So there's a big rising string tune, which, you know...

SOFT PIANO MUSIC

And then finally, you land at Downton Abbey itself,

and the music becomes suddenly a bit more pompous.

So you get... Yeah.

SLOW PIANO CHORDS

That's the pompous one.

So those four chords are really kind of for the house.

Yeah. Yeah.

First time I saw Highclere, I got Pat, the driver,

I got him to play it on the speakers

just so we could come up the hill and see the house with this song.

And it's just like, even now, in this last film,

when you see it, the house,

with this music, it's so stirring, it gives you chills.

And each character theme... So, Anna has a theme.

It wasn't so much individual themes,

it was more about the relationships between people.

So, you and Matthew obviously had... Yeah.

..had, well, several, you know? Yeah. And the train station.

The train station is one of my favourite.

GENTLE PIANO MUSIC

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, boy. I know.

I wanted to give you this.

It's my lucky charm.

'You were saying goodbye to Matthew.'

I'm trying not to be a hero, if that's what you're afraid of.

Just come back safe and sound.

'And it was very obvious that neither of you

'could say that you were in love.'

Did you have a happy time yesterday?

But the music was... It was so unspoken.

It was doing everything that you didn't say.

Anna and Bates' theme, you were referring to. It's Bates.

You know, Bates had this limp, so it was...

SOMBRE PIANO MUSIC Wow.

Oh! I mean, it's amazing.

You know, I mean, that's kind of where it...

Can you play a bit more?

Yeah, yeah. I love it so much.

And this is usually played on the viola.

Oh, yeah.

So simple, really.

It's so delicate, considering... Yeah.

So, the music was like...

it was like a missed opportunity kind of cue that the two,

those two, Anna and Bates, could have got together. Yeah.

When the picture starts to take on a meaning

that it didn't have before,

then you know you're on to something. Absolutely.

John, you're a genius. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you. Thank you.

So, let's have a little look. OK, here's...

A trip down memory lane. Here's the beginning.

The beginning. 2010 to 2015.

OK, hang on, actually.

I think there's one here - I very naughtily

took a photo against all the rules at the very first read-through.

Oh, yes! Wow.

Is that me? So that was 2010.

Yes. That's me!

Oh, wow. Oh, my goodness.

Before any of you knew. Oh, wow.

We look like babies.

What should we call each other?

Well, we could always start with Mrs Crawley and Lady Grantham.

Oh, do you think I might have a drink?

Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you were a waiter.

Edith, dear, you're a woman with a brain

and reasonable ability.

Stop whining.

She's left the stage now.

But it was a sadness when she died.

Yeah. Mm.

And it was one of the great privileges of our lives,

or certainly my life, to have worked with her. Yeah.

We were very lucky that it felt like from day one,

she greeted us like her grandchildren

and wanted to have a giggle.

Well, particularly when you showed her cat videos.

Well, yes. Yeah, she loved a meme.

She loved a cat meme, yeah. She loved a meme.

And when we realised that that's what she liked, then,

you know, I had a special photo album on my phone

of pics to show Mags.

LAUGHTER

There's nothing simpler than avoiding people you don't like.

Avoiding one's friends, that's the real test.

Well, there have been many high moments.

I'm always surprised when you praise me.

I'm surprised to hear that I have.

But mostly my scenes with Maggie, they were all such fun to play

because we were always in some sort of disagreement

with one another.

Oh, and you're an expert in the matter?

I am an expert in every matter.

And then finally, we became enormous friends.

After all these years, you still astonish me.

Oh, good.

I'm glad I'm a revelation and not a disappointment.

I mean, Lady Grantham and Isobel Crawley, we were,

anyhow, myself and Maggie,

I'm very, extremely fond of her and admiring of her as an actress.

Are you keeping something from me? Come with me.

When I was a young girl,

I went to see her in the theatre a lot

when I was a drama student.

And I wanted to be Maggie Smith.

I mean, she was a heroine to me.

LIGHT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

I was walking out of the church with her one day,

and we were having a scene walking along the path.

And she had her stick, and she said,

"I don't know why I'm playing an old woman. I am an old woman."

LAUGHTER

Yeah.

And then she said, "Why don't you keep up with me?

"I'm just standing here. Why aren't you...?"

I said, "I am, Maggie, I'm absolutely with you."

She said, "Well, you're not. You're all the way behind me."

And I said, "No, I'm not. I'm there."

She said, "Why are you doing that?"

Anyhow, the next day, she said, "Oh, I forgot I'm blind in this eye,

"so I couldn't see you."

LAUGHTER

Anyway, she was a wonderful woman.

Well, you were not only her sparring partner

but her wrangler, really, weren't you? Yes, I was.

LAUGHTER

Yes, because she used to not always be in the best mood

first thing in the morning

and certainly not when she came into the make-up room.

So one had to have... You could always make her laugh.

Well, I tried.

And if not, you get Allen in.

She was so formidable.

I remember one of my first scenes with her,

I had to drive her to the house.

And I had practised a couple of times.

And they basically said, "We're gonna go for a take.

"So, Allen, if you don't mind stopping this 1910 Renault

"on this very mark."

But now Maggie's in the back,

and suddenly, the stakes were slightly higher.

I missed the mark, nearly handbrake turned.

And they said, "Back to ones, Allen, if you just want to reverse."

And I'll never forget, there was just her cane came to the window,

and I looked back, and she said, "I think I'll get out first."

LAUGHTER

And that stick would... If there was anyone who sort of

came a little bit too close to her, sort of into her space...

It was usually the script supervisor. Yes.

She would just hold it up as they were talking to her.

And when they'd finished talking, she'd go...

and put it down. LAUGHTER

It's sort of half in character.

She was good with Shirley, too, MacLaine.

Oh, that was a big moment, actually, when they met for the first time.

I remember the moment vividly. I think you were there.

It was at rehearsal or whatever.

In the Great Hall. The Great Hall.

Maggie said, "I don't think we've met before."

Shirley said, "Yeah, we did. We met at the Oscars 40 years ago.

"Don't you recall? Backstage."

And she said, "I was probably face down in a cake."

LAUGHTER

But it was great to see them spar, as you say. Yeah.

Once they said action, it was like,

"Oh, that's what Shirley's gonna do. Then I'm gonna do this."

And it was just great. Like a tennis match, wasn't it?

It was. It was always a tennis match with her, actually.

It was like playing tennis with someone a bit better than you.

So you had to just raise your game.

And it made everyone better.

Yeah. It did.

We'll never see her like again, really. No.

No, the make-up department certainly won't.

I take that as a compliment.

I must have said it wrong.

Still to come on Downton Abbey Celebrates The Grand Finale...

"The wife watches that thing you're in."

Yeah. And I said, "Oh. Do you?"

"Well, it's on."

LAUGHTER

We're living in the age of Noel Coward.

Exactly. Although I don't suppose Noel would put it quite like that.

How would I put it?

We were just saying how your star

shines more brightly with every new show. Ah.

That's me and you at the Ritz. At the Ritz.

We filmed right next door

when we shot all of the Fortnum & Mason shopping day scenes

in this film, and... Really roughed it.

We stayed... Yeah. We really roughed it.

Our call was gonna be very, very early in the morning

to get us ready in time to shoot before Fortnum's had to open.

This is gonna break my heart, this story.

It's gonna break your heart. Carry on.

And because the last episode of the last series

finished at the Ritz... There's a theme coming in here.

And they'd been so kind and said,

"Do let us know if you ever want to come back."

When we saw the call time, Michelle and I went,

"Do you think you could...?"

"This might be our moment."

Oh, really, yeah? "See if we can get a room."

And we did, and it was lovely. We did.

Do you have a similar story to that?

That was the day I went to work by bus.

LAUGHTER

So, it's time to talk about the fans.

Who has a story about being recognised in strange places?

I was in the gym, and this lady was changing.

And I was looking in the mirror,

I think I was just brushing my hair or something,

and this lady was very naked behind me.

And she had her leg up on the chair like this,

drying herself with her towel.

And she went, "Oh, you're on Downton Abbey, aren't you?"

LAUGHTER

"Oh, my goodness. I can't unsee this."

I was literally looking in the mirror going,

"I don't know where to look. I'm just gonna look down.

"I'm just gonna look down."

Michelle and myself went to see Babygirl,

a rather saucy film... Yes.

..in the middle of the day.

And there weren't many people in the cinema,

but this woman came out and went, "Can I just say, I love you guys,

"and I love that you're together watching this film."

LAUGHTER

It was so funny.

I was in Hyde Park, having a cup of coffee in the Lido,

and this woman came up to me.

She was American.

And she says, "Excuse me, my daughter is a great fan of yours.

"Would you mind coming and saying hello to her?"

So I said, "No, not at all." So I went out.

And there was this really cross teenager

who was looking at her phone.

Her mother said, "Colette."

And she said, "Yeah?"

She said, "Colette, I've got someone to show you."

"Yeah? So what?"

She didn't take her eyes off the phone.

She said, "Colette, if you look up..."

"I don't want to look up."

Anyhow, then she looked up and she went...

LAUGHTER

She nearly fell over.

So I said, "If you keep your head up,

"you know, you'll see a lot of us about the place."

LAUGHTER

I've had dogs named after me.

I've had a child named Carson. What, Carson?

Yeah, in Florida.

LAUGHTER

But the antithesis of all the excitement is

typical Yorkshire, in a hotel in Yorkshire,

having breakfast, and suddenly, you get that lovely thing where, boof.

You know, and then they say, "The wife..."

Not "my wife".

"The wife watches that thing you're in."

And I said, "Oh. Do you?"

"Well, it's on."

LAUGHTER

They never watch it.

There's the different levels of recognition.

There's the supermarket turn, which is,

"Don't turn round, but over there is..."

And they always do that.

Or there's what I call the zoo,

when you're standing in front of a shop window looking in,

and someone comes up and does that and goes, "It is him."

LAUGHTER Yeah!

Just talking of...

of fans, I don't know if I showed you this, Jim.

But it's so lovely.

And it's beautifully... Aw!

Oh. Oh, my goodness.

And it's a painting. Is it a painting?

That's a painting? Yes.

Oh, my... Of our favourite scene together.

I know. Oh, that's lovely.

Oh, my goodness. That is beautiful.

Isn't it gorgeous?

We're getting on, Mr Carson, you and I.

We can afford to live a little.

The crew... Were behind...

..were out of scene. Oh, in front of us.

With their trousers rolled up, backing off...

As we approached. As we were paddling out towards them.

And I could see the waves coming in behind -

"Boys, you're gonna get such a shock in a minute, you know."

They go, "Oh!"

So, talking of fans, bizarrely,

this actually came in today from a gentleman in Turkey.

"Dear Lord Grantham, I don't know how many times

"I've watched Downton Abbey from beginning to end.

"I haven't seen the trailer of the new movie in Turkey yet,

"but I saw it on TikTok

"and watched it with tears in my eyes.

"I want you to know that I love the whole team very much.

"Downton Abbey has a very special place in my heart,

"and it has become my favourite series.

"I will never forget you all.

"I wish you luck and happiness. I am so glad you exist."

Aw. We don't exist.

We're actually fictional characters. LAUGHTER

Anyway, that's lovely.

Aw, that is gorgeous.

Well, I have some videos from some fans.

I had gotten caught up in Downton Abbey

long before I met Dustin.

And when the movie came out, I messaged him, and I said,

"There's this movie coming out. You want to go see it?"

And he said he had never heard of Downton Abbey before,

but he said yes, and that was our first date.

When we were in the midst of planning our wedding,

something in me thought about the honeymoon,

and I just said, "Why don't we go to the place

"where it all started?"

And that was Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed.

It was so beautiful.

When we got there, it really felt like

we just stepped into the movie set.

I mean, it really looked like how it did.

I think that's the reason why when we went,

we wanted to create our own Downton Abbey intro.

We love to live in a fantasy world, and Downton Abbey helps us do that.

Well, I hope they will come to the film and enjoy it.

Hello. Hello, hi.

It's been such a joy to be part of Downton Abbey's

incredible final chapter.

Coming back to Downton always feels like coming home.

And our last film is really something special.

Each of our characters, Molesley, Daisy, and Bertie,

have decades-long journeys that culminate in The Grand Finale.

And we can't wait for you to see how it all

plays out on the big screen.

But first, we have something special just for you.

We are so excited to share this world-exclusive scene

from Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

I don't understand.

If you're a writer, then why are you a footman now?

Oh, it's a... it's a long story.

I hope you've enjoyed your stay at Downton.

Certainly.

And Lady Mary's given me an idea.

What do you mean?

Well, she was talking about her divorce.

And I can see the play in my head.

Oh, but is it right,

to use what people confide about their private lives?

SOFT MUSIC

Private lives?

Very good.

Thank you, Mr Molesley.

I'm grateful.

Until the next time.

GROANS

Joseph, you've made a good life for us, a lovely life.

Won't you please let us be happy?

I will try, I promise.

That's all I ask.

Are you all right?

I wish I was in the right clothes.

They look perfectly right to me.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Hmm. Good Lord, who's that?

Is that Barrow?

Huh.

Yes.

And you're not to make a thing of it.

Thank you.

We're very informal.

I suppose that comes with living in America.

HUSHED CHATTER

We're all looking forward to the show.

Oh, I hope it's one that Violet would have been proud of.

I feel it's the last thing I could do for her.

She terrified the daylights out of me.

Maybe.

But in truth, she was kinder, funnier,

wiser than most people knew.

Quite irreplaceable. Oh, I don't agree.

I think Mary will replace her, if she hasn't already. Mm.

So, gang, with us all gathered here together,

it seems a good opportunity for one final toast

to Downton Abbey and to friendship.

Absolutely.

And we've had such a wonderful day today,

such laughs and such fun and such love.

And I've asked everyone to jot down a phrase or a thought

as a takeaway from our experience over these many years.

"Faith in the power of stories," is one.

I know who this is.

"My mistress is Jules, and the joy of joining a cast

"I had already fallen for."

Was that Raquel, by any...?

LAUGHTER

You work too hard.

Ease up. No, I can't.

This is my moment.

"What a wonderful group of people to spend 14 years with."

Welcome to Downton. Have a nice day.

And I think this is my favourite, which sums it all up perfectly.

"A fictional family who became real-life friends."

LAUGHTER

I love you.

That's what makes it all worthwhile.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we hope you'll go

to the movie theatre and enjoy Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

ALL: To Downton Abbey.

MUSIC: 'Downton Abbey Main Theme'

APPLAUSE

Over. Done.

THEY LAUGH

See ya. See ya.

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