Will 'Downton Abbey' Season 6 Be The Final Season? Cast Allegedly Looking For US Roles

Is “Downton Abbey” coming to an end? Rumors are circulating that “Downton Abbey” Season 6 will be the final season of the period drama. The Daily Mirror reports that creator Julian Fellowes is ending the show so he can focus on “The Guilded Age,” a period drama set in the U.S. However, it may be too early to say if the show is ending.

ITV (the network that airs “Downton Abbey” in the U.K.) released the following statement: "We wouldn’t comment on speculative stories about our programs."

The network has never renewed “Downton Abbey” more than a season in advance. Viewers will likely have to wait until Season 6 starts airing to find out about the status of the show. However, this isn’t the first time that the idea of the sixth installment as the final chapter has been discussed.

Last November, Allen Leech (who plays Tom Branson) said he couldn’t see the show going on past Season 7. “In my heart of hearts, I can't see it going more than two [seasons] more,” Leech told E! Online. “I think the period of time we want to tell, we're coming to the end that us as actors we can keep playing these characters.”

Perhaps this is because he wants roles in the U.S. Supposedly, Fellowes isn’t the only one coming to America for work. Many actors want to find jobs stateside as well. “Joanne Froggatt, Edith Carmichael and Allen Leech were in Los Angeles for the awards last week and there were several meetings about both TV and film roles,” a source told the Daily Mirror.

While the actors may or may not have roles abroad, showrunner Julian Fellowes is definitely working on his new show for NBC. Bob Geenblatt, NBC Chairman, confirmed that Fellowes was making progress on the project (which had been on hold for over a year). “I think he’s at a point now where he’s able to start developing and writing our new show,” Greenblatt told Deadline. “Hopefully this show will be coming to life sometime in the next season.”

The end of "Downton Abbey" would definitely give him the time he needs for the new series, but Fellowes may have just found a way to balance both. However, American fans still have quite some time before worrying about the end of Season 6. “Downton Abbey” Season 5 hasn’t even finished airing in the U.S. yet.

“Downton Abbey” Season 5 is currently airing in the U.S. on PBS on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST. Do you think “Downton Abbey” should end with Season 6 or should it continue as long as possible? Sound off in the comments section below!