Downton Abbey star breaks silence as they confirm they won't return for third film
Downton Abbey fans were thrilled last year when it was announced another film of the beloved period drama was in the works.
Later this year Downton Abbey's third and final film, titled The Grand Finale, is set to be released, bringing the popular franchise to an end.
As Lord Grantham star Hugh Bonneville revealed it would be a 'great sign-off' for fans of the period-drama, fans have been eagerly awaiting to see their favourite characters on the big-screen once again.
However, one person fans won't see in the final instalment is actor Matthew Goode, who played Henry Talbot, in the period drama.
Although he had a brief stint in the first film, which was released in 2019, the 47-year-old explained that he wasn't able to be featured in the second and third films due to other work commitments.
He told Radio Times: "I was unavailable for the second because I was doing The Offer. Then, for the third, I was shooting this (Dept Q).
"But I also buggered my knee, and I had to have an operation. That takes weeks to get over, so I was never going to be able to do it. And let's face it, he was edging towards becoming a bit of a wet lettuce. So maybe it's a good thing."
Despite Matthew's character not receiving a final farewell, there are plenty of other fan-favourites who will feature in The Grand Finale.
People can expect to see the likes of Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael and Jim Carter reprise their roles.
Also starring in the final movie are Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Dominic West and Sophie McShera.
In April this year, actress Joanne appeared on The One Show, where she was asked to share more details about what fans can expect to see in the last film.
She confessed: "Oh my goodness, it's going to be hard! We've said goodbye a few times, thinking, 'This is the end', at the end of the seasons.
"Then we did one movie and we wondered if we'd get a second movie.
"This really is, the third and final, so this really is goodbye. It's going to be emotional, but all good things must come to an end, I suppose."
Elsewhere during the interview the actress shared that her character Anna is pregnant, due to her being pregnant in real-life when they were filming. Joanne added: "There's been pictures out there, so that's one spoiler. I wrote my own storyline there!"
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is set to be released on 12 September 2025.