Julian Fellows admits he "got the hump" over Downton Abbey criticisms

Julian Fellows, creator and writer of ITV’s Downton Abbey, has admitted he “got the hump” about critics who pointed out mistakes in the first series of the Edwardian drama.

In a new interview with the Radio Times ahead of Downton Abbey’s second season premier (this Sunday) the writer and creator discussed the reaction to the first series. The Edwardian drama won rave reviews – and high ratings – but some were quick to point out historical mistakes in episodes. Such mistakes ranged from the use of language (a criticism also aimed at BBC Two’s 1950s drama The Hour) to a television aerial/double yellow lines being in shot. In the interview with the Radio Times the writer admitted he “behaved rather badly” over such comments.

Addressing some of the criticisms Fellows said that the television aerial being in shot was pointed out but “somehow it fell through the system, which was sloppy, and I was annoyed about that“. And on those who pointed out such mistakes Fellows said “I thought I behaved rather badly by getting the hump” He added, perhaps jokingly, “This time around, I thought we should get a newspaper, to do a ‘This week’s mistakes on Downton’ column and we would have the right to reply’.

The first series of Downton Abbey ended with the outbreak of World War One, also known as The Great War. The second series of the drama is set against the backdrop of the war as the characters adjust to life in wartime and the huge changes in society, in the country and in the house that came with the war.

Downton Abbey returns to ITV1 on Sunday at 9pm.