“Downton Abbey” is gearing up to return to the silver screen with its second film, “Downton Abbey: A New Era” this May. But now, the British TV phenomenon is also hopping into the audio realm with “Downton Abbey: The Official Podcast.”
Hosted by Rotten Tomatoes awards editor Jacqueline Coley and British radio and TV presenter Anita Rani, the rewatch podcast will cover every episode of the ITV hit, which focuses on the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their staff of servants at the Downton Abbey estate during the 1910s and ’20s. Coley and Rani will cover the show weekly, diving into the large ensemble cast of characters and reveal behind-the-scenes anecdotes and secrets from the beloved series. The podcast launches this Tuesday and will include an exclusive look at the upcoming film.
In addition to recapping episodes, Coley and Rani will also interview notable people involved in the creation of the series, starting with its creator and writer Julian Fellowes in the first episode. Other upcoming guests for the show include cast members Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Allen Leech, Elizabeth McGovern, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton and Michael Fox, along with Dominic West, who joins the cast in “A New Era.” The show will also feature “Downton” producers Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge, historical consultant Alastair Bruce, costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins, production designer Donal Woods, casting director Jill Trevellick and “A New Era” director Simon Curtis.
“Downton Abbey: The Official Podcast” follows on the heels of several other successful rewatch podcasts covering popular television series, many of which are hosted by cast members of the show. One of the first of its kind was “The West Wing Weekly,” which saw former cast member Joshua Malina and “Song Exploder” host Hrishikesh Hirway recapped the the seven season political drama. Current ongoing recap podcasts include “Office Ladies,” which covers the NBC sitcom “The Office”; “Welcome to Our Show,” centered around the Fox comedy hit “New Girl”; and “Drama Queens,” which covers teen drama “One Tree Hill.”
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” will premiere in the United Kingdom on April 29 and May 20 in North America.
From Variety US
