Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has opened up about his new show Belgravia.
New show Belgravia hit screens our yesterday evening at 9pm and screenwriter Julian Fellowes has spoken about his new ITV show, revealing that it is "very different" to Downton Abbey.
The actor and writer revealed that one of the biggest differences between his two shows is that, while Downton focuses on how the traditional aristocracy and that general way of life declined during the early 20th century, "the 1840s were the opposite of that".
"Compared to Downton – because obviously people will compare [Belgravia] to Downton – it has a very different energy" said Julian.
"Downton, to a degree, was about the decline of that particular way of life and how it [the estate] was going to have to adjust into the 20th century and these people were going to go and, as Mary says in the film, ‘We’ve already got too few people as it is’."
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Speaking about ITV’s new Belgravia and the storyline and time period that it focuses on, the director continued, "The 1840s were the opposite of that.
"They were the beginning of the boom of Victorianism and it would lead to 1900, when there were more people employed in domestic service than at any time before or since."
Continuing to discuss the era, he continued: "Markets were growing, industry was growing, trade was growing, the Empire was growing, everything was growing, and I think that does create a different feeling to it.
"And [Belgravia character] Charles Pope is only part of that and indeed so is James Trenchard [played by Glenister], that in their different ways, they are part of this expansionism that’s happening wherever you look."
Belgravia started yesterday evening at 9pm, with the six-part show continuing to air once a week.
Watch Belgravia on ITV on Sundays at 9pm or if you miss it look out for it on catch up On ITV Hub.
