New Characters Will Be Joining 'Downton Abbey'

With many key characters leaving (or, hinting at spoilers below, have already left!) “Downton Abbey,” the show’s producers are eager to bring in a new round of characters to love and follow.

Dan Stevens has already announced that season 3 will be his last—and (final warning) as many already learned by spoilers sent from across the pond, Matthew Crawley’s exit will not be a peaceful one. The happy, good-hearted man will be leaving behind his new wife Mary after a car accident claims his life.

Luckily, the introduction of a new love interest for Mary can keep the show moving forward.

“Downton Abbey” executive producer Gareth Neame says, “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.”

Though it’s hard to picture Mary starting fresh after she and Matthew fought so hard to be together, even worse is the dim future left for Tom Branson.

Last episode, the world was shocked and horrified when, after the birth of a beautiful daughter for Branson and the lovely Lady Sybil, the beloved character was caught in the throes of seizures accompanying eclampsia, and died as doctors and family looked on with hopeless impotence. Even the heartless Thomas Barrows wept over that upsetting plot-shaker.

Series creator Julian Fellowes reassures audiences it won’t always be so grim for the little family.

“We have a lovely nursery story,” Fellowes hints.

A new nanny is reportedly heading to Downton Abbey to help maintain the infant, whom Branson has named Sybil after his late wife.