Julian Fellowes reveals he’s set to turn novel Belgravia into four-part television series

The Downton Abbey creator is also working on a 'supernatural thriller'
In the pipeline: Julian Fellowes wants to turn novel Belgravia into a TV series
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty
Alistair Foster3 July 2017

Julian Fellowes has revealed he wants to turn his novel Belgravia into a four-part television series — and is working on a supernatural thriller.

His latest stage project, The Wind In The Willows, opened at the London Palladium last week and there is constant speculation about whether his hit TV series will be turned into a film, but he has no plans to take a break.

Lord Fellowes, 67, published Belgravia, about a ball held on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, last year.

He said: “I should perhaps be putting my feet up, but there are things I’ve got on my plate. I’m writing a slightly supernatural thriller at the moment where you can’t quite decide if it is supernatural, which I’m enjoying.

“Then I think I’m going to do Belgravia as a four-part series for television. I’m also hoping to do [New York-set period drama] The Gilded Age for NBC/Universal — there’s quite a lot going on.”

He celebrated the opening of Wind In The Willows at a party at 8 Northumberland Avenue, with cast members including Rufus Hound.

BAFTA tribute evening for Downton Abbey

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He said: “You work on these things in quite an enclosed group and then you sort of expose your child on Mount Titlis to see if it’s going to survive … and when other people enjoy it, it’s a very, very nice feeling.”

Lord Fellowes also spoke about the need for entertainment at the moment, saying: “These are funny times. I can’t remember an equivalent ... the whole world seems to be moving beneath our feet.

"One of the jobs of the entertainment industry is to let everyone have 10 minutes off.

“I do like stuff that cheers one up. There’s room for everything and I’m not against anything. But there is a lot of stuff out there that is depressing and I feel there are enough ways of getting depressed without me adding to the list. So I don’t tend to do that.”

Not always, however — referring to the popular Downton Abbey character who died in the third series, he joked: “But then again I am the man who killed Sybil Crawley!”

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