Downton Abbey favourite returning for series third film – but there’s a shock twist

SHE was one of the best-loved stars of Downton Abbey, so fans will be delighted that now I can reveal that Joanne Froggatt is returning for the third movie based on the TV show.

The actress played Lady Crawley’s maid Anna Bates from 2010 on the hit ITV series and appeared in the first two Downton films in 2019 and 2022.

Last week Joanne was seen on the set of the latest film outing and her character appeared to be pregnant.

A TV insider said: “This will be welcome news for fans of the drama, because Anna was a particular favourite but none of the cast members were guaranteed to return.

“Although the producers have tried to reunite most of the Downton stars, not all of them have been able to commit, even if they did appear in the first two films.”

Among the stars not returning are Imelda Staunton as Lady Maud Bagshaw, though her husband Jim Carter is reprising his role as Mr Carson and Hugh Bonneville is back as Lord Grantham.

The first two Downton movies, written by Julian Fellowes, raked in £220million at the global box office.

The first movie starred Hugh and Elizabeth McGovern as the Earl and Countess of Grantham.

Along with Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess, they both returned in the sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era which was divided between Highclere and the South of France.

I exclusively revealed in March there was going to be another movie, with filming starting this summer and the final film set to be released next year.

Last week Dominic West also confirmed he would be returning to play silent film actor Guy Dexter, who is in the midst of a passionate relationship with Downton’s former butler Barrow, played by Rob James-Collier.

Maybe there’s a big twist and one of them is the father of Anna’s baby.

TELLY IS BORING GERVAIS

HE may have found fame on Channel 4 and the BBC, but Ricky Gervais has little time for the broadcasters now.

The funnyman has blasted terrestrial TV in a new rant and claims they only have two shows worth watching.

He says: “ Terrestrial telly is sh**e now. The only thing I watch is The Chase – and The Apprentice.

“I just watch Netflix every night, or some sort of streaming service.

“There’s no reason to sit in front of the telly and have no choice any more.”

The majority of Ricky’s biggest sitcoms – The Office, Extras and Life’s Too Short – were aired on the BBC, with Derek a hit on Channel 4.

Netflix, who streamed Ricky’s award-winning series After Life, is rated by the comic as he believes he can get away with more risqué material.

RANVIR’ SCOVER A DODDLE

SHE’S been busy filling in for Lorraine Kelly on her ITV daytime show.

But Ranvir Singh insists it’s more like a holiday than extra work.

She told Rob Beckett and John Widdicome on their Parenting Hell podcast: “I used to do 18-hour days – so Lorraine is like a holiday for me.

“It’s so easy going because I get to get up at 5am instead of 3am – I’m like, this is amazing.”

Even though she gets a lie-in, it doesn’t stop Ranvir from getting an early night.

She added: “I go to bed before my ten-year-old son, it’s awful – he has to come and say goodnight to me in my room.

“I’m the one that’s like ‘See you later, please make sure you come off FIFA’.”

FEARNE FEARS FROM TV

FEARNE COTTON has said she’ll never work on TV or in radio again.

The presenter shot to fame age 15 as a presenter on GMTV’s The Disney Club and went on to huge shows like Celebrity Juice, The Xtra Factor and a was BBC Radio 1 regular.

But yesterday she told The Times: “If you want to get a whole host of mental health problems, get in the public eye really young, because you get them all.

“There’s no way you can get through it in one piece.

“All my mental health lows are because of my job. Nothing else.

“It is not conducive to a balanced mind.”

She added that her “nervous system can’t take” appearing on air any more.

She added: “Everyone’s waiting for you to c*ck up so they can all point fingers and say that you’ve always been terrible.”