The BBC report today that Dame Eileen Atkins has announced that she won’t be starring in the forthcoming new series of Upstairs Downstairs, which she of course helped to create alongside Jean Marsh.
Jean of course played maid Rose in the original TV drama – which ran from 1971 to 1975 – and she took on a new role in the latest revamp of the show. Atkins, who didn’t appear in the original series, starred as Lady Holland in the remake.
Jean is in fact the only cast member to have starred in both the original and the 2010 version, which also featured Ed Stoppard, Claire Foy and Keeley Hawes.
However, the BBC reports that Dame Eileen made her decision to quit the show amid rumours that she’s “unhappy” with the direction the scripts for the new series are presently taking.
A statement from the BBC reads, “It’s with much sadness that we say goodbye to her wonderful character, the straight speaking mother-in-law Lady Holland.
“However we respect her decision and will be announcing new star casting soon.”
The new series of the show is set to go into production in October for a screening over Christmas.
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