Downton’s Fellowes pens new ITV drama

Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes is creating another period drama for UK broadcaster ITV.

With ITV hit Downton ending after its sixth season, Fellows is turning his attentions to an adaptation of Doctor Thorne, the Anthony Trollope melodramatic novel about a doctor and his talented but penniless niece.

Hat Trick Productions will produce the three-part series, which ITV director of drama Steve November and controller of drama Victoria Fea co-commissioned.

Hat Trick head of drama Mark Redhead (Critical) will executive produce Doctor Thorne alongside Fellows, Chris Kelly and Ted Childs.

Filming begins later in 2015, which is the 200^th anniversary of author Trollope’s birth.

“As a lifetime devotee of Trollope, my own favourite among the great nineteenth century English novelists and certainly the strongest influence over my work that I am conscious of, it is tremendously exciting and satisfying to know that my adaptation of one of his best-loved novels is coming to ITV,” said Fellowes.