Fans upset by rape scene in Downton Abbey

Fans expressed their alarm at a shocking rape scene in Sunday night's Downton Abbey.

Ex EastEnders star Nigel Harman plays a valet, Green, who apparently raped lady's maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and, despite, a warning before Downton started, the scene has upset some fans.

The warning said that the episode contained ‘violent scenes that some viewers may find upsetting’.

Green caught Anna alone down in the servants quarters, while the rest of the staff were upstairs enjoying an opera recital by Dame Nellie Melba (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa). Anna had excused herself because of a headache.

When evil Green found Anna (Joanne Frogatt) by herself in the kitchen he made unwanted advances, then punched her in the face and dragged her to a side room where he sexually attacked her.

Anna was later found in a distressed and dishevelled state by a shocked housekeeper Mrs Hughes. Anna had to beg Mrs Hughes to keep it a secret, fearing her husband Mr Bates would get into such a rage, he'd end up killing Green and be up on a murder charge again.

One fan, @GraceNoden, tweeted: "That's ruined the whole show, so upset"

Another fan, @delythandbruno, wrote on Twitter: "Is #downton turning into a Georgian #eastenders ? May give up watching if violence/depressing stories become norm"

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Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.