The producer of ‘Downton Abbey’ has vowed to "quit while we’re ahead".
Show boss Gareth Neame says he and creator-and-writer Julian Fellowes are wary of the show outstaying its welcome and will end the hit period drama when they feel it is the right time.
However, the producer says ‘Downton’ is still in its prime and won’t be ending any time soon.
He told Vulture.com: "We have to get out right before people realise they want us to get out. We quit while we’re ahead, while people still love the show, and while we’ve still got stories to tell. I still don’t know when that will be yet.
"We don’t want to jump out of it too early. We are working on a great big hit show, and one doesn’t want to stop working on a great big hit show until you’re ready."
Gareth also touched on the status of Julian’s long-planned US-set period drama ‘The Gilded Age’, which is being produced by American network NBC.
The acclaimed writer has previously said he won’t begin work on the series until ‘Downton’ ends.
Gareth explained: "We make eleven episodes of ‘Downton’ every year, and Julian writes all of it. It’s a huge amount of writing for one person to do. There’s no way he can do that and work on another show at the same time.
"NBC of course would like to have ‘Gilded Age’ but everyone accepts that ‘Downton’ is still a massive success. We’re all part of the same company, too. My company is owned by NBC Universal, and as a group we all know ‘Downton’ is a very important property for the whole company."
Downton Abbey will ‘quit while ahead’
