‘Downton Abbey’ Renewed for Sixth Season

A few months before U.K. drama Downton Abbey makes its fifth season premiere in the U.S., ITV and Carnival Films announced that the period drama will return for a sixth season.

The British import will begin production on the sixth season next year.

Downton Abbey finishes its fifth season on U.K.’s ITV on Nov. 9 and premieres in the U.S. on PBS on Jan. 4, 2015. The fourth season of the drama under the public broadcaster’s Masterpiece banner averaged 13.2 million viewers on Sunday nights, making it PBS’ top drama ever.

Downton Abbey is a Carnival Films/Masterpiece coproduction written and created by Julian Fellowes.