Day Three - Downton Abbey
It's my first time in the Forum, our new 1600 seat venue, which is packed with a real mix of people: men and women, young and old, all of whom must be home by 9 o'clock for tonight's instalment.
With so many devoted fans in one place the anticipation's high, and there's warm applause to greet the panel: producer Gareth Neame, "The World of Downton Abbey" author Jessica Fellowes, creator Julian Fellowes and (swoon) actor Dan Stevens. As ever, it's slightly bizarre to finally see the face of a voice I know so well from BBC Radio 4's Front Row, Mark Lawson, who's chairing tonight's event.
The audience already know the story and the characters inside out, but the event gives something new: an insight into the structure, ("we keep things deliberately fast-paced") the writing technique, (Julian Fellowes looks aghast when asked if he plots with charts, graphs or arrows), and how unlikely it was that the show should ever have been made in the first place, having been commissioned in 2008 on an "odd network and an unfashionable subject".
There are some brilliant insights into the storylines too, as Julian reveals that one of the series' most outlandish episodes, the death of dashing house guest Mr Pamuk, (whose body is hurriedly dragged back to his bedroom in the middle of the night by three female characters in a desperate attempt to avoid a scandal) is based entirely on fact and was discovered in a friend's great aunt's diary of a real-life 1880s house-party.
The panel quickly fall to discussing the question that's debated in the papers almost every day: how to account for the phenomenal success of the show. Not since "The Jewel In the Crown" do they believe has a show infected the public consciousness so greatly, and it's even spawned a Private Eye column, "Downturn Abbey", which actor Dan Stevens confesses to having framed on his wall. Producer Gareth Neame says it's the first period drama he's seen that he's really believed in, but all agree it's impossible to truly account for the way it caught the mood.
They won't be drawn on whether there'll be a third series or not, but seem to suggest that the 1920s would be an ideal setting for further episodes. And with a Christmas special to come, there's plenty still to look forward to.
Laura Brand
Membership Scheme Manager
