Downton Abbey star Finneran quits role

Siobhan Finneran has confirmed that she has quit her role as scheming maid Miss O’Brien in ITV‘s Downton Abbey.

Finneran revealed her departure from the show at the launch of the second series of BBC One drama The Syndicate.

ITV have since confirmed the departure, but added the character could return as she won’t be killed off.

Filming recently commenced on the fourth series of the Julian Fellowes’ period drama and early pictures show characters in mourning for Dan Stevens’s character Matthew Crawley, who was dramatically killed off in last year’s Christmas special.

Downton Abbey will return to ITV in the autumn.