All good things must come to an end, and for Downton Abbey fans in the US, the final countdown will start next year.PBS revealed today at the Television Critics Association press tour that the period drama's sixth and final season will debut on the network on Sunday, January 3, 2016, after the show has finished in the UK.
The final outing for Julian Fellowes's drama will pick up six months after last year's Christmas episode, and consists of eight episodes and a Christmas special.
Main cast members expected to return include the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Rob-James Collier, Phyllis Logan and Sophie McShera.
Dame Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, Lesley Nicol, Laura Carmichael and Penelope Wilton are also thought to be coming back for the grand finale.
Nicol has previously said that fans will be "very happy" with Downton Abbey's final storylines, and praised Fellowes for bringing the show to an end at the right time.
"He's kept the standard up to the end. The storylines are still great and there's stuff that is going to make people very happy," she said.
"It has to be better than it going on and people saying, 'Oh, it went [downhill] so maybe it is the right time'."
Season six of Downton Abbey will begin in the US on PBS on January 3. UK viewers can watch on ITV this autumn.