TVLine reports that “the show is looking for a (naturally!) handsome thirtysomething actor to come courting as Lord Anthony Gillingham.”

Neame told TVLine: “In any relationship drama, the will-they-or-won’t-they is always more interesting than married couples. So actually what we’ve been able to do is reset [Lady Mary]. She has to start again, and that will be much more interesting.”

Creator Julian Fellowes previously defended the decision to kill off Matthew Crawley in the show’s Christmas special: “If [Dan Stevens] had been prepared to come back for maybe two or three episodes in a series, that would be different. Then we could have had a foreign posting or invented a career that would have made it possible for him to be away. For them to then separate and Matthew never set eyes on his son again would not be believable either. So we didn’t really have any option. By him dying, their love can remain in tact.”

Speaking at last night’s National Television Awards in London, Fellowes also hinted that Shirley MacLaine is likely to return as Lady Grantham’s mother, Martha Levinson, at some point.

The writer commented: “I don’t think we can really describe the ilk of Shirley Maclaine. Shirley MacLaine is the ilk. No, I think she’s completely unique and we’re absolutely thrilled she was in the show. I never really know what’s coming. Oh, she will come back, I’m sure. But I never know what’s happening in my own life, never mind the show.”

A fourth series and Christmas 2013 special were confirmed by ITV in November.

What are your hopes for Series 4? Let us know below…

> Order Series 4 on DVD on Amazon.

> Buy the complete Series 1-3 boxset on Amazon.

Watch the Series 3 trailer…