REG has given a teaser on what to expect from his character in Season 5 of Downton Abbey. He’s stated:

“I don’t want to spoil anything but my character is set to cause some ructions. He definitely will shake things up. It’s going to be fun. I started filming yesterday. When I stepped on to the set at Highclere (Castle, where the show is filmed), I thought, ‘Yes, I’m home’ – I’m upstairs, naturally!”

It won’t be Richard’s first sojourn in a post-Edwardian country house, only this time he’s on the other side of the stairs. The British-Swazi actor played first footman George in the 2001 British mystery film Gosford Park, but has now risen to ‘toffee-nosed house guest Simon Bricker’ who pays an eventful visit to his friends the Granthams. It’s a reunion for Grant with series creator Jullian Fellowes (who co-wrote Gosford Park) and with Dame Maggie Smith. The Dowager Countess of Grantham played the Countess of Trentham in the movie that inspired the series.

One thing is for sure – Richard’s guest character is set to cause trouble in 2015!