‘Downton Abbey’ season 3: Julian Fellowes, Brendan Coyle talks success on CBS

This weekend, “CBS Sunday Morning” had a rare opportunity to present American audiences with something that no network show has had an opportunity to see before now: a look behind the scenes straight from the real-life Highclere Castle that serves as the filming setting for the famed UK series “Downton Abbey.” (Note: the following is spoiler-free, and can be read with confidence by American audiences.)

Many cast and crew members had brief interviews during the special, with one of the best ones coming courtesy of creator Julian Fellowes, who claims that he is still to this day surprised that the show has amassed the sort of global audience that it has over the past two years:

“We knew that this series would be the charting of the downfall of this particular class … Nobody is prepared for this extraordinary kind of whirlwind that took place.”

Meanwhile, Brendan Coyle (Bates) also took an opportunity to joke about what happened upon a recent vacation that he made to Morocco:

“I just got sort of mobbed. People from all over [the world] started shouting ‘did you kill your wife?'”

One of the funniest parts about this feature was that we learned that PBS and “Masterpiece” nearly passed on the series; but now, we have a feeling that they are rather pleased with the decision that they made. The show has become the public network’s highest-rated program, in addition to it being one of the strongest-performing shows across the bond in its home country.

Be sure to check back Monday morning, as we will have an exclusive interview with Jessica Fellowes on “The Chronicles of Downton Abbey.” Are you as surprised as anyone that the show has become as successful as it has? If you want to see who is joking about the season 4 returning cast rumors, you can do so over at the link here.

Photo: ITV