Eileen Atkins and Jean Marsh, the originators of the original series comment on the making of the new series including "the monkey."  "Laugh and be touched. We always feel that PBS does all the best work" say the pair of intriguing, talented women.

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

It's not too late to order from your local library, Amazon or subscription service episodes of the original Upstairs, Downstairs in order to prepare for watching new episodes. Those original episodes mount up to a startling 68 in total. 

Upstairs, Downstairs: The Complete Series - 40th Anniversary Collection has just been released by Acorn Media consisting of a 21-disc collection that contains all five series, in addition to a behind-the-scenes documentary and 24 episode commentaries.

Hugely popular in the US, and watched by some eight million in the United Kingdom at the end of last year, three new episodes  should appeal to an interested and, for our readers, a nostalgic audience in the US when it returns on April 10th. It was well received enough to commission another six hour-long episodes next year when, as advertised,  a 'huge shock' will be served up to both British and, presumably, American audiences.

Keeley Hawes (BBC's Ashes to Ashes), Ed Stoppard (Brideshead Revisited), Anne Reid, Claire Foy (Little Dorrit), Adrian Scarborough and Art Malik  (whom many of us will recognize from Jewel in the Crown) will be entering through the doors of the iconic 165 Eaton Place.

Set in 1936, the three, hour-long episodes, to be broadcast on PBS, will take viewers, old and new, back to the lavish world of Belgravia, London.

A new set of occupants will reside at the iconic address and viewers will see how external and internal influences of the tumultuous pre-war period shape and mould the lives of this wealthy family and their servants.‬

‪Upstairs, Keeley Hawes is Lady Agnes Holland, the beautiful, spirited and socially ambitious woman who plans to take society by storm. Her husband and master of the house, diplomat Sir Hallam Holland, has his work cut out keeping the peace between his wife and mother and will be played by Ed Stoppard.

Dame Eileen Atkins will play Maud, Lady Holland — the straight-speaking mother-in-law who causes sparks to fly as soon as she arrives. And Claire Foy plays Lady Persephone — the beautiful, younger sister of Lady Agnes who refuses to adhere to the rules of 165 Eaton Place.

Downstairs, Jean Marsh reprises her role as Rose Buck — and is now the reliable housekeeper. Anne Reid will play Mrs Thackeray, the resident cook, Adrian Scarborough plays the highly strung, teetotal butler, Mr Pritchard and Art Malik plays Mr Amanjit, loyal servant to Maud.

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