Creator is unsure why Downton is so popular

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has admitted he does not “fully understand” why the show, starring Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville, has been such a hit with viewers.

He also told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs he had been “a bit pompous” about complaints about the show’s accuracy after viewers took it to task for using modern phrases and other historical errors.

Lord Fellowes said: “If I had a clear understanding of why it had done so well I would continue to write shows that attracted record viewers for the rest of my life. I don’t fully understand why it did so well.

“I think the main reason it was so popular was we are allowed to give completely equal weight to all of our characters and we don’t set them off in a group, so we don’t make all the toffs horrible or all the servants funny.”