‘Downton Abbey’ season 6: Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, others give back after finale filming

Some of the exterior shots have finally been filmed now for the “Downton Abbey” series finale, and we have to give the entire cast and crew credit here for proving that they look at this as more than just a really good job. We’ve got some evidence today that they also care very much for the people in the town of Bampton, who have allowed them to enter the world the past five years to shoot many of the outdoor sequences.

According to the Oxford Mail, following the completion of some scenes this week the likes of Hugh Bonneville (Robert), Laura Carmichael (Edith), and other cast members all teamed up to throw a proper thank-you party to the town, taking on a downstairs role and serving wine to many of the locals. They also posed for photos and spent time mingling with the locals. This is a very cool way to show the symbiotic relationship between a production and a town; while it must have been rather cool to have “Downton Abbey” there for many years, we’re also sure that there were times it was a slight inconvenience, as well. This is a nice way to say “thanks.”

With “Downton” officially at the end, many of its cast members will of course start to move on to other things. We’ve already heard about Michelle Dockery working on a very different sort of project with TNT, and if many of the cast are looking to cross over to America, we could see them landing roles in the upcoming pilot season here.

There is no firm premiere date yet for the last season of the drama, but we anticipate it starting in September on ITV and then January on PBS.

In the event you want to get some other TV news sent right to you, be sure to sign up for our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ITV.)