‘Downton Abbey’ season 3: Ready for a Hugh Bonneville surprise?
When you hear the words “Hugh Bonneville,” it is likely and really inevitable in many ways that you are automatically going to assume him to be somewhat similar to the character that he plays on “Downton Abbey,” even if that is rarely the case with any actor on TV and the role that they play.
As a matter of fact, Bonneville in particular has an interesting hobby that you would never imagine the man overseeing the famous residence (now with the help of Matthew) doing on any sort of regular basis. While at the Fine Cell Work reception recently at Spencer House in London, the actor told Mandrake that he may be even to rival some of Downton’s own servants when it comes to the world of clothing repair:
“I took up stitching and found myself doing it all the time – even on set and in between takes … In fact, I tried doing it to stop me from smoking, but pretty soon I learned how to do both at the same time.”
So what will we be seeing Robert up to during the upcoming Christmas special? It certainly will not be stitching; rather, we assume he will be doing everything in his power to get accustomed to the fact that his ways are not exactly the way of the future at all. This is why Matthew and Tom Branson have been brought on board, and why there are so many investigations into how to ensure that the Abbey stays viable financially for several years to come.
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Photo: ITV
DApper
December 3, 2012 @ 7:24 pm
Actually, I think Hughbon said in a tweet he had said he had done needle stuff at one time, but hasn’t in about 15 years. Another newspaper story run amok, I guess.
And my guess for the Christmas special is that there was speculation this summer about DS not sticking and so I suspect his fate (and god knows who else, Robert?) might be left in doubt at the end. Though lord knows JF can write someone out in a heartbeat. Hugh’s storyline is possibly the ‘ladyship’s soap’ thing coming round again. And the matter of the succession is now more important than ever. Since a real spoiler (I think from HB) indicated that time will have passed, several months at least, since the finale, it seems possible that M&Ms pregnancy/or lack thereof may be a focal point. Can they produce an heir before whatever befalls Matthew in S4ep1? We were promised ‘romance and heartbreak’–but who gets what? And dare I hope for very little of Lady Rose? Be unfair for a new character to dominate the story at the last moment when there are so many unfinished main character tales to tell. She’s just a stand-in for young Sybil for the teeny bopper set of fans anyway. Robert and Cora seem happy in the few clips released so far, dancing and kissing. They deserve it, but will it last? Why is Tom staying behind at Downton? He has to talk to someone in the episode…If he gets involved with staff again, is he the monkey wrench in the downstairs love triangle/quadrangle with that tedious new maid, making it yet another geometrical shape? Or does he go for the new maid that starts in the special? Seems he will need something (or someone?) to do come spring. Once you go to stiff collars, can you go back again? Robert couldn’t really lambaste him for snogging a maid, now could he? Edith’s editor paramour turns up in the Highlands. Whatever. Or will Anthony Strallan turn up again like a badly timed penny, since some reports suggest last summer he said ‘We’ are filming the Christmas special? He isn’t in the pictures, though. Mrs. Patmore gets at the very least a ride on a painted pony. Good for her, hope there are more ups and downs in her future. Is Mrs. Hughes cancer thing really gone for good? Bates and Anna may yet produce offspring before Matt& Mary, though a real soapy soap would do a dual pregnancy and switch the babies at birth (esp if Mary needs a son before hubby checks out! :) How far will Anna’s friendship go? (kidding-just being silly; unless…)