The two-hour episode will air at 9pm on Tuesday 25 December on ITV1, with MyAnna Buring (The Descent, Twilight) joining the cast as new housemaid Edna.

The feature-length special sees Lord and Lady Grantham and family heading for a summer break in The Highlands of Scotland, leaving most of their servants back at home. The Scottish scenes were shot on location at Inveraray Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell.

Executive producer Gareth Neame commented: “While the cat’s away, the mice will play. The Grantham’s do not live at Downton Abbey 12 months of the year. They would go to London for the summer season and also go away on holidays like this. And when that happens the domestic staff of Downton would remain. What will they get up to while the family is away?”

Laura Mackie, Director of Drama at ITV added: “We hope the Downton family of viewers will gather together to watch this major TV event as a shared Christmas night experience. Last year’s special episode set the nation talking on Boxing Day and 2012’s Christmas Day episode is no different. As ever, Downton will take its audience through a whole range of emotions. All of life’s experiences will feature in this episode. This is one episode you will want to see live with millions of others – and best have the tissues ready.”

A fourth series and Christmas 2013 special were announced on Friday by ITV.

Are you looking forward to the Christmas special? Let us know below…

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Watch the Series 3 trailer…