Set in 1920, Series 3 is due to begin on Sunday 16th September on ITV1.

Fellowes has revealed that the Irish Question looms large in Series 3, simply because the characters at the time could not have ignored it.

The writer commented: “I used the Irish thing because in fact in the ’20s people were not talking about the collapse of Germany and the Weimar Republic, people were talking about the troubles in Ireland. That was the big topic.”

He added: “We don’t have too much about de Valera and Collins and all the rest of it but instead we talk about a family whose house is burnt down – Mary remarks that they are a family just like hers. Suddenly, this family whose house has been burnt down in the Troubles, by making them a family like the Crawleys you make it more alive.”

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

> Buy the Series 2 boxset on Amazon.

Watch a teaser trailer for Series 3…