Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has revealed he was 'sad' to wave goodbye to the characters he'd created for the ITV hit as he spoke at today's world premiere of the final series.
The 65-year-old, who hasn't ruled out making a big screen version, added that it would be hard to pen something as hugely popular as Downton again.
"I'm sorry to see them go - I think the other thing is the show worked very well. I'm very unlikely to ever be involved with anything that's as successful again and so of course I say goodbye to these golden years with a slight pang."
Julian, who also revealed at the lavish launch in London's May Fair hotel that the original plan had been to bow out at five series, added that the sixth series will again reflect 'concerns of the time, but also of our time'.
Meanwhile, Dame Maggie Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess, quipped that she was 'just surprised that I got to the end'.
And asked what she plans to do next, she replied: "I'm going to be lying down for quite some time... the other thing I'm going to be doing is watching it."
Downton Abbey series six premieres in mid September on ITV.
