Series 4, which concluded on ITV tonight, has averaged 11.8 million viewers, making it the highest rated drama on television in 2013. Since its debut in 2010, Downton Abbey has been sold to over 220 territories and is viewed by an estimated global audience of 120 million people.

> Order Series 4 on DVD on Amazon.

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

Series 5 will again be written by the show’s creator Julian Fellowes.

Prior to that, Downton Abbey will return to ITV on Christmas Day for a 2-hour episode which sees Shirley MacLaine reprise her role as Martha Levinson and Paul Giamatti join the cast as Cora’s playboy brother, Harold.

Executive producer Gareth Neame commented: “Audiences have enjoyed their regular Sunday evening visits back to Downton once again this autumn and we are thrilled to produce a new series of the show next year. We promise all the usual highs and lows, romance, drama and comedy played out by some of the most iconic characters on television. All the actors and makers of the show continue to be humbled by the extraordinary audience response and want to take the show from strength to strength next year.”

ITV’s Director of Drama Commissioning, Steve November added: “We are enormously happy to have Downton Abbey on ITV and we are delighted to be announcing this new series. With Julian writing and Gareth and Liz producing we know it will be as warm, witty, romantic and dramatic as previous series and we can’t wait to catch up with our favourite characters again.”

Watch the Series 4 trailer…

Are you looking forward to Series 5? Let us know below…