Matthew Goode says his axed Downton Abbey 3 appearance was only "a half-a-page scene"
Goode revealed he was meant to appear during the racecourse day sequence seen in the film's trailer.
After confirming that he will not be appearing in the final Downton Abbey film due to scheduling conflicts and a knee operation, Matthew Goode has now revealed further details of what his character's role would have been in the film.
Speaking with Deadline, Goode revealed that his character Henry would only have been in "a half-a-page scene", so would never have been a central figure in the plot.
Goode said his spoke with Lady Mary star Michelle Dockery "at length" about how the scene could possibly go, and that they were "going to try and ask for a slight rewrite", but "eventually it was just that [the film was] moving ahead" without him.
Henry would have appeared during the "big racecourse day" sequence, which can be seen in the trailer for the film.
Despite having previously said that his character was "becoming a bit of a wet lettuce" and that "maybe it’s a good thing" he wasn't able to appear, Goode told Deadline that it was "a shame" the scheduling couldn't work out "because I love that cast".
Read more:
- Dept. Q star reacts to end of Merritt Lingard's dramatic and traumatic storyline
- Downton Abbey star teases very significant role in final film – as he returns to cast after one-episode role
"To be on a set with Hugh [Bonneville] and Allen [Leech]. I’ve got great stories from those sets," he said. "We actually gave Maggie Smith one of the greatest days of her life, she said. She came off [set], and she said, 'I think that might’ve been my favourite day on a set ever.'"
The story in question saw Goode encouraging the cast to drink their way through 22 bottles of rosé on set, and while "no one was drunk", they were "merry".
By entering your details you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Goode was also asked whether he would return for a spin-off centred around his character and Lady Mary, but he said it is "a very difficult thing to balance" because Mary is a "feminist icon" and "she doesn’t need a man".
Goode previously clarified his comments calling Henry a "wet lettuce", saying he didn't mean it "in a horribly derogatory way".
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.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
