PBS Masterpiece: Schedule for 2011 Season

Here's the 2011 schedule for the upcoming season of

PBS Masterpiece Classic!

Congrats to PBS on their 40th season of Masterpiece Theatre!

January 2, 2011
My Boy Jack
(encore presentation)
In 1914 England, patriotism is high in the early days of WWI, and writer Rudyard Kipling (David Haigh) is one of its most eloquent and passionate voices. John "Jack," (Daniel Radcliffe), Kipling's only son, is underage, hopelessly myopic, and eager to join the war effort. Kipling's outspoken American wife Carrie (Kim Cattrall) remains more sanguine on the course of the war, and the fate of her family. Also features Carey Mulligan as Jack's sister Elsie. My Boy Jack, based on a true story, tells of a nation at war, and offers an intimate portrait of one family's complex and divided experience in it.

January 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2011 at 9pm
Downton Abbey
Set in an Edwardian country house in 1912, Downton Abbey portrays the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them. Written and created by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes, and starring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, Dan Stevens, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, and many others. This well-received drama in the UK is definitely worth watching!


February 6, 2011
The Unseen Alistair Cooke
(encore presentation)
"Alistair Cooke filmed his early travels across the United States with an 8mm camera. The footage, discovered only after his death, offers a record of the unseen life behind Cooke's polished words, against a backdrop of an America sparkling with possibilities. The Unseen Alistair Cooke: A Masterpiece Special chronicles Cooke's decades in America, friendships with Hollywood icons, celebrated journalism career and years as host of Masterpiece Theatre."

February 13, 20 & 27, 2011 at 9pm
Any Human Heart
William Boyd adapts his acclaimed 2002 novel about a man - at various times a writer, lover, prisoner of war, and spy - making his often precarious way through the 20th century. Spanning nine decades, it tells stories around some of the most significant historic events of recent decades. World War II and the New York art scandal of the '50s and 60s are explored through Logan's eyes, as are his various relationships. Starring: Jim Broadbent, Matthew MacFadyen, Sam Claflin, Gillian Anderson, Hayley Atwell, Kim Cattrall and Tom Hollander.


March 27, 2011
The 39 Steps
(encore presentation)
Newly returned to England on the eve of World War I, Richard Hannay's (Rupert Penry-Jones, Persuasion) listless London life is about to spiral out of control. When a neighbor bursts in with a top-secret notebook full of cryptic codes and a frantic story of an impending assassination, unlikely patriot Hannay is soon on the run to save himself and his country. He bumps into feisty suffragette Victoria Sinclair (Lydia Leonard), and while their fates may be intertwined, their personalities aren't. But like it or not, they'll together navigate murder, betrayal and near death in order to untangle a plot of national importance, and understand the charms and challenges of human nature. Based on the novel by John Buchan.

April 10, 17 & 24, 2011 at 9pm
Upstairs Downstairs
Upstairs Downstairs is an updated version of one of the most-loved and most-honored series in television history. The series has a new cast of characters and Jean Marsh reprising her Emmy-winning role as Rose. The cast also includes the original series co-creator Eileen Atkins (Cranford), Keeley Hawes (Wives and Daughters), Ed Stoppard, Claire Foy (Little Dorrit) and Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown) with a script by Emmy-nominee Heidi Thomas (Cranford).

May 1, 8, 15, 2011
South Riding
Synopsis from book: "A rich evocation which explores the lives and relationships of the characters of South Riding. Sarah Burton (Anna Maxwell Martin), the fiery young headmistress of the local girl's school; Mrs Beddows (Penelope Wilton), the district's first alderwomen - based on Holtby's own mother; and Robert Carne (David Morrissey), the conservative gentleman-farmer locked in a disastrous marriage - with whom the radical Sarah Burton falls in love. Showing how public decisions can mould the individual and strongly echoing Middlemarch, South Riding offers a panoramic and unforgettable view of Yorkshire life." Set in 1930's.

PBS Masterpiece Classic

Thanks to myrna_nora at LJ!
and thanks to Laurel Ann at Austenprose!

Claire Foy

Claire Foy was exquisite in Little Dorrit.
The series wouldn't have been the same without her charming portrayal
of Amy Dorrit anchoring the production.
She's shown above with Matthew Macfadyen.

I had never heard of Terry Pratchett's collection of works,
which I soon discovered has an extensive fan base!
I was highly entertained by the adaptation of Going Postal
and loved Claire's portrayal of Adora Dearheart.
She's shown above with Richard Coyle.

Claire will be seen next in Upstairs, Downstairs where she will be playing Lady Persephone Towyn. Here's an interview regarding her role courtesy of BBC:

How would you describe Lady Persie?
Persie's a funny one. She's selfish, headstrong, rude and a bit ditsy at the same time. She's a bit troublesome. But she's also charming, and doesn't really mean anyone harm. She does some terrible things, but for some reason you can't help but like her. She loves adventure and she definitely goes against convention. Excitement plays a massive part in the choices she makes. She has to better herself all the time. I think it's just the way she likes her life to be. She doesn't see why everyone has to be so boring all the time.

What sort of relationship does she have with her sister Lady Agnes?
Persie feels that she's not the sister that Agnes wants. Agnes wants the debutante, air-headed girl who is happy having a pretty frock on and a diamond star in her hair. Persie sees it all as something she's expected to do and thinks it's all very meaningless. The problem is that Persie isn't the brightest. Sometimes the things she says, thinking she's being outlandish, is actually just stupidity. She has no inhibitions.

Persie becomes embroiled in the fascism movement in the series. Do you think she really knows what she's doing?
That's the hard thing. It's been difficult to look on from the outside knowing what happened a couple of years later. As an actress you have to believe that she really believed in it. For me that was extremely difficult to get my head around. I did a lot of research about it, and there was a big movement of women who joined the fascist party at the time. Society was changing and there was a lot of excitement around politics – with people looking for a lead to change the country.

Claire Foy as seen on the set
of Upstairs, Downstairs

How was it recreating the Cable Street riots?
It felt like you were there. The extras were amazing – they were screaming and shouting all day, which really helped the atmosphere. When you're filming scenes like that you can't do it all in one take, and so I watched from the sidelines for some of it. It just looked incredible. It's funny recreating it in Wales rather than London. But weirdly you could make it look more authentic in Wales. It was funny how just like it was to the scenes I'd watched on YouTube. The way Heidi has written it is very true to how it happened.

Did you do any research into the period?
I did quite a lot actually – not necessarily about the period itself, but more about the type of people Persie would have known, and the circles she would have moved in, and the debutantes' scene. But I think everyone has their own image of what 1930s were like – the war etc. It's quite a personal thing.

Did you watch any of the old series before you started filming?
You can't have lived in the country if you haven't heard of Upstairs Downstairs. But I think it's so accessible – it's a classic. Everyone will always be interested in the goings on in class system. My grandparents watched it. We're not remaking the classic series – we're doing something new with it. So in a way I didn't want to watch it, because we were coming in to it new. But I really want to go back and have a look at it now that we've finished.

How was it working with Eileen and Jean – co-creators of the original series?
I only had one scene with Jean, so I was a bit annoyed about that! She's just such a wonderful actress. But I did get to speak to her quite a bit. She's such a lovely woman. For her and Eileen it's more than just a job – and you really feel that. That's what's so lovely about it. You are very aware that you're in something so much bigger – there's a gravitas behind it.

Upstairs, Downstairs: Interview with writer Heidi Thomas

Heidi Thomas discusses her task of writing the screenplay for Upstairs, Downstairs...

Other period dramas penned by her include:

Madame Bovary, I Capture the Castle, Cranford and Ballet Shoes

[Interesting to note that Eileen Atkins has been in more than one of Heidi's scripted dramas - she's acted in Madame Bovary, Cranford, Ballet Shoes and will now be onscreen in Upstairs, Downstairs!]

You're too young to have watched the original series but do you remember anything about it from your childhood?
I was quite young when the series first began, but my parents went out a lot at weekends and we had a lenient babysitter! From the third series onward, I didn't miss a single episode. What struck me most was the masterly depiction of the First World War and its aftermath, all seen through the lens of life at 165 Eaton Place. It was actually hugely educational, and sparked my passion for social history. However, when I rewatched the entire saga as an adult, I was surprised at the risqué nature of many of the storylines. It was all going on in Eaton Place, but I was so innocent that adultery, illegitimacy and homosexuality had all gone completely unnoticed!

Did you have fun creating such rich and lavish characters?
Creating and introducing the new inhabitants of 165 Eaton Place proved an engrossing and rather emotional experience. Like every other fan of the show, I have vivid memories of the Bellamys and their staff, and was aware that there were ghosts to cherish, and dispel. Downstairs, there were obvious roles that needed to be filled – a house like 165 needs a butler, a cook, a maid or two, a footman and perhaps a chauffeur. And that, in turn, demands a family upstairs with high standards and plenty of money.

But I never wanted just to clone the characters that had gone before. From the start, it felt right to have a younger couple at the helm of the house, and Sir Hallam's job at the Foreign Office was an obvious way to bring the tumultuous politics of the 30s centre stage. But the most exciting thing about writing drama is that once the broadest facts are in place, little unforeseen details about the characters start to spring up in a very organic way – for example the fact that Sir Hallam and Lady Agnes have been unable to have children, and so treat her younger sister Lady Persephone as a sort of surrogate child – a plan which hits the rocks at once!

Downstairs, putting the staff together proved rather challenging and piquant, as by 1936 servants were much harder to get hold of, and employers had to take what they could get! So I felt at liberty to put together a team of rather wonderful juveniles and eccentrics, some of whom would rather be anywhere else!

And, of course, the great thrill was to bring back the iconic character of Rose Buck. None of this would have been possible without Jean Marsh. Jean IS Rose, and Rose IS Upstairs Downstairs. Rose is now in her 60s, and not as robust as she was – but work is bred in her bones and she will keep on till she drops. I found this profoundly affecting, and sort of had my arm around Rose throughout the writing process. She is at once a unique and universal character – a principled, proud, sometimes vinegary spinster, who feels things deeply and never gives up. I loved Rose; I love her now. I hope it shows.

The series is set in a very tumultuous period. Your scripts very much reflect the external events of 1936 and how these events affect the residents of 165 Eaton Pl. You must have done some extensive research before and during your writing of the episodes?

I am passionate about history, especially when it is about the world 'writ small' – hingeing upon all the details of ordinary people's lives and experiences. I have a large collection of magazines, ephemera and housekeeping manuals, dating from 1803 to 1939, and these are always my first port of call when starting work on a period piece. Of course, the bigger points of history require heavyweight research, and for Upstairs Downstairs I spent some time in serious reading, again using many books from my own library. I do have my own researcher, Joanna, who can ferret out the most extraordinarily obscure pieces of information at short notice eg 'Help! I need a 1936 brand name for a really posh gas cooker!'

Once the writing of the scripts is underway, script editor Liz Kilgarrif double-checks every detail, and can source things like the precise wording of a radio broadcast on a specific date in the story. We also engaged a historical consultant, Juliet Butler, to make sure we had an academic overview.

What do you think it is about Upstairs Downstairs that people love so much? Is it the relationships, the characters, the storylines?
I think the lasting power of Upstairs Downstairs is rooted in its intimacy – it is about a very close-knit group of people who depend on one another for all things, but could not be more different. There are clashes of personality upstairs as well as down, but none of the individuals involved could last a day alone. To my mind, that is the very stuff of life, and we can all relate to it – but the world these characters inhabit is very different to ours, and the drama is therefore seasoned with escapism.

There is also a very strong message of equality in Upstairs Downstairs, which is often overlooked. Because the drama treats both rich and poor with an even hand, it says to the viewer 'Whether you drip with jewels and are swathed in furs, or are wrapped in a pinny and scrub until you hands bleed, your story really, really matters'. It respects and celebrates every aspect of human experience, and that is a powerful thing.

Did you have to change anything about the format of Upstairs Downstairs to tailor it for today's TV watching audience?
We were extremely keen to reference the tone and style of the original, and conferred closely with the series co-creators Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, and original producer John Witney, in order to make sure we got this right. This is a sequel, not a remake, or a rehash, and we wanted to preserve as much of the magic as we could. A great deal of the power of the original stemmed from the fact that so much of the drama was sparked by, and played out within, the walls of 165. We set strict limits on the amount of time we spent outside the house, and made sure that any exterior scenes – such as the spectacular recreation of the Cable Street riots – were justified.

It is all about finding a balance, however. In the original series, there was a tendency towards very long scenes that might feel slightly theatrical and slow to a modern audience, so we recalibrated this slightly, whilst striving to keep the drama detailed and satisfying. We also make use of incidental music, which wasn't a feature in the original series, and the sumptuous attention to visual detail is also new.

Do you think this new series will attract a new generation of Upstairs Downstairs fans?
Fans of the original are guaranteed a warm welcome, but there is a huge amount in it for newcomers too. We start with the arrival of brand new owners, and everything feels very fresh and vibrant. Eaton Place in 1936 has a real sweep and glamour – there are fabulous frocks, intense friendships, doomed love and, underneath it all, the cut and thrust of a very dangerous time in politics. Our characters range from Ivy the parlourmaid, aged 15 and reared in Barnardo's to Maud, Lady Holland – doyenne of the Raj and well into her 70s. The old series had fans of all ages and from all walks of life, and the sequel looks set to attract the same.

As an ensemble, do the cast work well?
Upstairs Downstairs is only partly about class; it is very much about family, and the way in which we relate to the people around us. So from the start, it was not just the individuals that were important, but the way they would connect with one another. And the actors really did gel, from the moment they first sat down and read the scripts together. Although I found it very funny, when – halfway through filming – I discovered that all the 'Upstairs' characters were in one hotel and all the 'Downstairs' characters were in another.

The sets are exquisite. What emotions did you experience when you first stepped on to them?
Never mind the sets – I cried when I saw the model! Set designer Eve Stewart likes to start with a doll's house style mock-up of the eventual design, and when I saw it I suddenly realised that yes – this was really going to happen. Upstairs Downstairs was really coming back. When finished, the sets literally took my breath away – everything was built on such a huge scale, and yet there was so much detail. They are also incredibly solid. I must confess that once or twice I sneaked into the entrance hall when nobody was looking and ran up and down the stairs pretending it was my house. I'd quite like to live there actually. We should rent it out for weekend parties!

Interview from BBC Press

photo of Heidi: BAFTA / Richard Kendal

More information on UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

Upstairs, Downstairs: Interview with Keeley Hawes

What was it that appealed to you about working on Upstairs Downstairs?
I had never seen the original series. So it was actually like getting any other script and reading it and not having an idea of what was going to be inside. I didn't come to it with any baggage. One of the first things that appealed to me was that it is written by Heidi Thomas. She is just such a brilliant writer. The scripts were so easy to read, and I was thrilled. I just wanted to do it immediately.

Can you tell us about your character Lady Agnes Holland?
She's absolutely lovely! She's very ambitious – but she's probably more ambitious for her husband. She doesn't work and has a lot of time on her hands. She's come from a very posh family and has good breeding. But it's when she and Sir Hallam move back to London, having inherited money, she suddenly finds that she's in a world of material things that she's never had.

It's quite exciting for her really – but also quite difficult. She's not greedy at all – it's not just about having things. She's very excited at the prospect of everything that London has to offer them. And actually, this is all in place of the child that they've never been able to have. Sadly, she lost her first baby when she and Hallam were in America. So all her energy goes into her husband and her home – but there is a wonderful surprise for them when she discovers she is pregnant again. She doesn't want to believe that it might be true because it would be too heartbreaking if it were to happen again. And when the baby comes, it turns everything on its head.

Lady Agnes is very glamorous. Did you enjoy wearing the costumes?
It was absolutely brilliant! Amy Roberts, our costume designer, is a genius. And she made it very easy for me to feel comfortable as Lady Agnes. There was rarely a time when I didn't feel comfortable in the costume that she had chosen. When someone is as good at their job as she is it makes everything so much easier for you as an actor.

Did you enjoy inhabiting 165 Eaton Place?
The sets are amazing. They are the best sets I've seen anywhere! Eve Stewart – our production designer – has done an amazing job. Again, it just emphasises how we've had the best people we possibly could to make this such a special production. And that really does come across on screen. Along with the writing, of course!

There is a stellar cast line-up on this series. What was it like working with them?
We've got Dame Eileen Atkins and Jean Marsh! I'd worked with Art Malik about 12 years ago. And I've also worked with Ed – I ended up murdering the person I thought his character was having an affair with! It was wonderful to have the history of Eileen and Jean. There is scene where Lady Agnes says to Rose: "Welcome home". Even now, it's heartbreaking. She was a young woman in the original. I know that she found a lot of it quite moving. For her more than anybody it was quite an emotional experience – a huge part of her life.

Do you think this new revival will appeal to a younger generation?
We cover all bases on that one! The range of cast is quite perfect – we go from birth to 76 years old. There is something for everyone and they are all such strong characters. You could have ended up filling that house with people and that could have watered things down.

In Upstairs Downstairs there's a perfect amount of time spent on each character. No one's storyline is diluted. You get to know every person.

There was also something for us as actors, too. There was always somebody lovely to chat with. I loved sitting with the older ladies. Or Ellie, or one of the younger ones. We were all thrown in together and it was a very nice set to work on.

How did you find filming in south Wales?
It was lovely. I stayed in Penarth, which was beautiful. The Welsh crew were great, and everyone is so very excited about the industry there at the moment.

Interview from BBC

More information on Upstairs, Downstairs

Upstairs, Downstairs (2010)

[While some loved this series, I did not. I didn't connect with the characters, the plot felt too forced and I can't say that I would recommend it.]

Character descriptions

&
cast interviews

"Set in 1936, this lavish three-part serial sees diplomat Sir Hallam Holland (Ed Stoppard) move into the iconic townhouse along with his wife, Lady Agnes (Keeley Hawes). With the help of former parlourmaid Rose Buck (Jean Marsh), they launch a new whole new era for the sumptuous home at the heart of Upstairs Downstairs.

As Lady Agnes remarks: "This house is going to see such life!"But storm clouds are gathering in Europe, and servants are no longer biddable and cheap. The Hollands' first year at Eaton Place does not unfold as either Lady Agnes or Rose anticipates.

The drama that results sets exquisite domestic detail against a sweeping historical backdrop. There may be two families living in 165 – one upstairs and one down – but their fates are intimately linked. Touching, funny, romantic and savage, the revived Upstairs Downstairs is set to enrapture a whole new audience."

To air BBC One: December 26, 27 and 28, 2010

To air on PBS Masterpiece: April 10, 17 and 24, 2011

Source: BBC Press

Jean Marsh (shown in original series), cast promo pic, Claire Foy on set

MORE INFO:
> Video: watch 3 preview clips from episode 1 (new)
> Video: view scenes in BBC's Christmas trailer
> Promo photos for Radio Times (new)
> Daily Mail: article by screenwriter HEIDI THOMAS (new)
> Daily Mail: Downton It Ain't (new)
> first photos of some of the cast in costume
> more photos from the set, BBC press release
> site dedicated to original series of Upstairs, Downstairs
> Daily Mail: photos of cast, similarities to Downton Abbey
> Telegraph: first article about casting of series
> Telegraph: Jean Marsh article Dec 16
>Ian Wylie: Dec 16 Preview and Q&A
> Interview: Eve Stewart, production designer
> Episode 1 Synopsis
> Episode 1 selected screencaps
> Screencaps for Episode 1
> Screencaps for Episode 2
> Screencaps for Episode 3
> More articles on UpDown (new)

> Interview with screenwriter HEIDI THOMAS

~ UPSTAIRS ~

Sir Hallam Holland, played by Ed Stoppard: The Master
Diplomat Sir Hallam appears to have everything. In his mid-30s, he has risen rapidly through the ranks of the Foreign Office, and has recently inherited not just 165 Eaton Place but a considerable fortune and a baronetcy. After a lonely childhood spent in boarding schools, he also has found deep love and solace with his wife Lady Agnes. However, he must also find room in his heart, and his home, for his formidable mother Maud, Lady Holland. The events of 1936 will challenge and change him in ways he could not have foreseen.
Read interview


Lady Agnes Holland, played by Keeley Hawes: The Chatelaine
The eldest daughter of the 12th Earl Towyn, Lady Agnes was reared in a very damp castle in Wales. Beautiful and aristocratic, she has never been well off. Despite financial hardship, and their failure to have children, her marriage to Sir Hallam has been happy and devoted. The sudden rush of new money thrills her, and she is determined to put her husband, and her home, at the heart of London high society. But even as her dreams come true, Lady Agnes is forced to digest unpalatable truths, and fight to preserve the things she holds most dear.
Read interview


Maud, Lady Holland, played by Dame Eileen Atkins: The Dowager
Maud, Lady Holland is Sir Hallam's mother, and one of the women who helped to build the Raj. A fiercely intelligent and complex woman, she spent her whole adult life in support of her husband, the late Sir Greville Holland, seeing him rise to the very top of the Indian Civil Service. Newly widowed, she returns to England to write her memoirs, and secretly hopes to build a new relationship with her grown-up son. But thirty years of distance are not easily undone, and there will be shocks and heartache along the way.
Read interview


Lady Persie Towyn, played by Claire Foy: The Debutante
Lady Persephone Towyn is the 20-year-old sister of Lady Agnes. Ravishing but gauche, she has been marooned in Wales due to lack of family funds – a situation Lady Agnes is delighted to reverse. But Lady Persie's lack of education, and the stimulation of the London scene, make for a highly combustible mix.
Read interview

~ DOWNSTAIRS ~

Miss Rose Buck, played by Jean Marsh: The Housekeeper
Rose Buck was the upper house parlourmaid at Eaton Place for almost forty years. Since 1932 she has eked out a living running a domestic employment agency – but a twist of fate brings Lady Agnes to her door. Initially engaged purely to recruit the servants for the Hollands, Rose soon proves herself indispensible to the running of the house. A business deal becomes an emotional adventure, and Rose returns, in triumph, as a permanent member of the staff of 165.
Read interview


Mr Pritchard, played by Adrian Scarborough: The Butler
Warwick Pritchard is sleek, discreet and quite beautifully spoken – but Rose has distinct reservations at first. Mr Pritchard comes to 165 Eaton Place after a lengthy career on the Cunard cruise ships, and has a reference from film star Errol Flynn. Teetotal and highly strung, his exacting façade conceals deep kindness and real integrity. As the downstairs family settles in, he gradually becomes the moral centre of the household – though he still has a few surprises up his sleeve.
Read interview


Mrs Thackeray, played by Anne Reid: The Cook
Clarice Thackeray is a widow. Passionate about her work, she expects the highest standards of herself and others. She follows the workings of high society through the pages of the Tatler, and even cuts out pictures of the family upstairs. Romantic and affectionate by nature, she is also nosey, judgemental and a monumental snob.
Read interview


Mr Amanjit, played by Art Malik: The Secretary
Educated, gentle, and imposing, Amanjit Singh comes to Eaton Place as secretary to Maud, Lady Holland. Having been in her service in India for many years, he is devoted to her welfare. Occupying a position that is neither upstairs nor down, he is at first a shadowy and isolated figure. However, he rose to his current position from very humble origins, and longs to be included in the servants' social world. Once he manages to break the ice, he becomes a welcome and respected member of their tribe.
Read interview


Harry Spargo, played by Neil Jackson: The Chauffeur
Good-looking and cocksure, Harry Spargo enjoys his position with Hollands, but resents the social system that keeps him there. He enjoys a cautious camaraderie with Sir Hallam, but this is put to the test by the events of 1936. His passionate nature and desire for easy fulfilment will take him into dark pastures, politically and emotionally.
Read interview


Ivy Morris, played by Ellie Kendrick: The Housemaid
Orphaned Ivy Morris comes to 165 from a Barnardo's home, where she was trained as a domestic servant. Just 15 years old, she is spirited, wilful, and likes red nail varnish and singing in the bath. Rose only hires her out of desperation, and has a hard time wrangling disobedience and tantrums. But Ivy, who has never had a proper home, knows she has found one in 165. She would never willingly risk her newfound security – but her hunger for love leads her, and others, into danger.
Read interview


Johnny Proude, played by Nico Mirallegro: The Footman
Aged 16, Johnny Proude was born in a mining village near Nottingham. He launches a career in domestic service in an effort to escape a life spent down the pit. Charming and hard-working, he is popular with the other servants – especially Ivy – but comes to 165 with a troubling secret that, once revealed, will shatter the whole household.
Read interview


Rachel Perlmutter, played by Helen Bradbury: The Parlourmaid
Rachel Perlmutter is a German-Jewish refugee who comes to 165 as the new parlourmaid, in May 1936. Reserved and sophisticated, Rachel knows little about basic household chores, but is determined to make the best of her circumstances. An unexpected friendship with Mr Amanjit has lasting consequences for both of them.

~ Other characters ~

HRH The Duke of Kent, played by Blake Ritson
Kent is new King Edward VIII's youngest brother, and Sir Hallam's closest friend. They shared some wild nights out when they were younger, but both have now settled into domesticity. As the Abdication scandal rises to a rolling boil, Kent leans on Sir Hallam for support – and 165 Eaton Place finds itself at the heart of a national crisis.



Joachim von Ribbentrop, played by Edward Baker-Duly
A German diplomat who answers directly to Hitler, Ribbentrop is out to solicit the British establishment. Charismatic and manipulative, Ribbentrop's flirtation with Lady Persie has significant repercussions for 165.





Anthony Eden, played by Anthony Calf
The Foreign Secretary, with whom Sir Hallam works closely at the Foreign Office. His personal opinions often run counter to the government policy of the day, and Sir Hallam finds his own political assumptions challenged.




Wallis Simpson, played by Emma Clifford
- the foreign visitor causing a stir will be the glamorous Wallis Simpson, the American divorcée for whom King Edward VIII abdicated.

Source: BBC Press

Upstairs, Downstairs - new images from Daily Mail

The inevitable comparison between the updated series of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey has begun.
>The Daily Mail notes the common themes...

Here are some images of the new cast...

Eileen Atkins (Lady Maud), Emma Clifford (Wallis Simpson)
Ellie Kendrick (Ivy the parlour maid), Adrian Scarborough (Pritchard the butler)

Keeley Hawes and Ed Stoppard
(Lady Agnes and Sir Hallam Holland)

Thanks to @Darcylicious for mentioning the article!

Upstairs, Downstairs - update

BFI Screening on December 15, 2010:
There will be a showing of the first episode of Upstairs, Downstairs (60 minutes) followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with members of the cast and production team. Book your seat

Synopsis found at British Film Institute:
"The return of the legendary TV series Upstairs Downstairs takes viewers, old and new, back to the lavish world of 165 Eaton Place in Belgravia, London. A new set of occupants move into the iconic address, as storm clouds gather in Europe. The lives of the wealthy Holland family and their servants will never be the same again."

Claire Foy (Lady Persephone) shown on right

I was surprised to read that Upstairs, Downstairs will only be 3 episodes of 60 minutes (December 2010 in U.K., April 2011 in U.S.) but an article in December's Marie Claire magazine mentions that they are planning to make it into a full series next year.

More information on UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

Upstairs, Downstairs - filming underway

For those wanting to know when the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs will be back, it appears that it will air around Christmas time. They're currently filming in Leamington and in two studios (at Bridgend and Pontypridd) in Wales.

scan of the set from Radio Times from Upstairs, Downstairs fansite

From BBC Press Release
Set in 1936, the three, hour-long episodes, to be broadcast on BBC One, will take viewers, old and new, back to the lavish world of Belgravia, London.

A new set of occupants will reside at the iconic address and viewers will see how external and internal influences of the tumultuous pre-war period shape and mould the lives of this wealthy family and their servants.‬

‪Upstairs, Keeley Hawes is Lady Agnes Holland, the beautiful, spirited and socially ambitious woman who plans to take society by storm. Her husband and master of the house, diplomat Sir Hallam Holland, has his work cut out keeping the peace between his wife and mother and will be played by Ed Stoppard.

Dame Eileen Atkins will play Maud, Lady Holland – the straight-speaking mother-in-law who causes sparks to fly as soon as she arrives. And Claire Foy plays Lady Persephone – the beautiful, younger sister of Lady Agnes who refuses to adhere to the rules of 165 Eaton Place.

Downstairs, Jean Marsh reprises her role as Rose Buck – and is now the reliable housekeeper. Anne Reid will play Mrs Thackeray, the resident cook, Adrian Scarborough plays the highly strung, teetotal butler, Mr Pritchard and Art Malik plays Mr Amanjit, loyal servant to Maud.

Jay Hunt, from BBC One says: "Upstairs Downstairs is a piece of TV history and this wonderful cast are set to bring it alive for a whole new audience."

The revival has been written by award-winning writer Heidi Thomas (Cranford, Madame Bovary, Ballet Shoes, I Capture the Castle).

Of taking the audience back to 165 Eaton Place, she says: "Bringing 165 Eaton Place back to life has been the greatest honour and privilege of my career. It really is a dream come true for me, and I am thrilled that our actors feel the same."

The original series, created by Jean Marsh and Dame Eileen Atkins was first broadcast in 1971. It was an international success – winning seven Emmys, two Baftas and a Golden Globe.

Jean Marsh says: "This series has been beautifully cast and I was completely enthralled listening to them bring the scripts to life at the read through. I feel very happy and very comfortable – I feel very lucky. For the rest of the cast it was their first episode of Upstairs Downstairs. For me, it was my 56th. I am very much looking forward to the start of filming and I am very much looking forward to returning to 165 Eaton Place."

Upstairs Downstairs will begin filming in south Wales in early August.

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Cymru Wales says: "Upstairs Downstairs is not just one of the most loved and famous series in the history of British television but of television all over the world. Heidi Thomas' scripts have already attracted an irresistible cast, led by Jean Marsh and Dame Eileen Atkins, and I cannot wait to see this peerless drama brought back to life."

Upstairs Downstairs is a co-production with Masterpiece on PBS.

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Claire Foy, Ed Stoppard and Eileen Atkins filming on location in Leamington
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* Christmas airdate mentioned by Radio Times, and podcast by David Stephenson

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