ITV has released the first official cast photo for the upcoming third series of Downton Abbey, featuring Shirley MacLaine as new character Martha Levinson.

Written by creator Julian Fellowes, the eight new episodes will cover a period of 18 months between 1920 and 1921.

Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, Dan Stevens, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jessica Findlay Brown, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Rob James-Collier, Siobhan Finneran, Joanne Froggatt, Brendan Coyle, Allen Leech and Amy Nuttall will all return for the new series.

Are you looking forward to Series 3? Let us know below…

> Order Series 3 on DVD on Amazon.

Watch the Series 2 trailer…