Jullian Fellowes may have to step back if if his pilot The Gilded Age for NBC gets picked up.
“If I’m doing a series at NBC, I would not be able to write all of Downton and all of that series at the same time,” he told The New York Times. “I would hope that by the time all the hurdles have been cleared, the timing makes it so I can then concentrate on the new series.
The Gilded Age is billed as an ‘American Downton‘ …..“an epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance and the vast fortunes made – and spent – in late 19th century New York.”
“If Downton goes on – of course, that’s not my decision – then it would be with other writers. Perhaps with me supervising, but with other writers.”
He acknowledged he would not be able to write 11 hours of Downton and 10 hours of The Gilded Age side by side.”
“My own belief is that these things have a life, and one of the tricks is to recognise when it’s time to come to an end,” he acknowledged. “But we haven’t made a decision when that will be. Some things go on for 20 years, don’t they, but I just don’t see Downton being one of them.”
Downton Abbey has been renewed for a fourth series and a 2013 Christmas special, with Fellowes explaining that he is still keen to stay with the series and end it on his “own terms” if possible.
Source: Digital Spy and EW