Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale star reveals whether fan-favourite couple are due a happy ending
The movie is coming to the big screen later in September.
Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt has opened up about Anna and John Bates’s upcoming storyline in the third and final film.
The drama has continuously put the married servants through the wringer over the years, with the couple – who are played by Froggatt and Brendan Coyle – having survived war injuries, vengeful ex-wives, murder sentences and blackmail, among other troubles.
But there won't be anything wrecking their happiness in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, with the fan-favourite due to get the happy ending fans have long been clamouring for.
Speaking to Caroline Frost in an interview with Radio Times magazine, Froggatt said of her upcoming storyline: "I’m actually pregnant, expecting my second child."
She added: "Julian Fellowes kindly wrote it into our storyline because at this stage I’m quite obvious, so it made more sense."
She continued: "And it was a nice ending for Anna and Bates to have that happening in their future. The Bateses get their happy ending, which is what everyone is championing."
The upcoming movie follows the Crawley family as they enter the 1930s, with patriarch Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) gearing up to hand over the reins of the beloved estate to his daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery).
However, as seen in the latest trailer, the threat of social disgrace and financial troubles soon throws the family into turmoil.
Returning alongside Froggatt, Coyle, Dockery and Bonneville for the third instalment are Dominic West, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton and Lesley Nicol.
Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera and Douglas Reith will also reprise their roles, while new faces include Paul Giamatti, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan.
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Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in UK cinemas on 12th September 2025. All seasons of Downton Abbey are available to stream on ITVX.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
