Downton's facade is cracking

(Image credit: Nick Briggs)

Following the altercation with Bricker, relations between Robert and Cora are strained, while Blake's scheming starts to come to fruition when Mary is unexpectedly pitted against her love rival.

Edith decides to take drastic measures after receiving terrible news, leaving various parties reeling. Baxter is embroiled in the investigation into Green's death following a mysterious tip-off, and as Thomas's health deteriorates, he finally reveals the truth to the maid.

Elsewhere, love is in the air for more than one member of the Crawley family...

Sue Johnston (The Royle Family, Coronation Street) joins the cast.

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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.