Carnival Films and ITV and "Masterpiece on PBS" Announce Paul Giamatti to Join "Downton Abbey"

Boston, MA, June 24, 2013 - Carnival Films, ITV and MASTERPIECE on PBS/WGBH today announced that Emmy(R), Golden Globe(R) and SAG(R) award winner Paul Giamatti (John Adams, Sideways, Barney's Version, Cinderella Man) has joined the cast of the Emmy(R) and Golden Globe(R) award-winning drama, Downton Abbey.

Giamatti will play Cora's maverick, playboy brother Harold in the series' finale. He will be starring alongside Shirley MacLaine and the regular cast members for the dramatic climax to Series 4.

He joins new cast members Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Gary Carr who are all set to star in the fourth series.

Carnival Films' Managing Director, Gareth Neame said, "We're excited that Paul Giamatti will be joining us on Downton to play Cora's brother Harold, the rather free-spirited uncle to Mary and Edith. We can't wait to see him work alongside Shirley MacLaine, who are both sure to upset the Grantham's apple cart in this year's finale."

Downton Abbey season 4 will air on MASTERPIECE on PBS starting January 5, 2014. The new series will see the return of Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson alongside series regulars Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery and Jim Carter.

In the U.S., 24 million viewers tuned in to the third season of Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE, making it the highest-rated PBS drama of all time. The finale was the #1 show of the night, beating all broadcast and cable competition in prime time.

Downton Abbey is a Carnival/MASTERPIECE Co-Production, executive produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes and Liz Trubridge. Carnival is a division of NBCUniversal.

MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston. Rebecca Eaton is Executive Producer for MASTERPIECE. Funding for the series is provided by Viking River Cruises and Ralph Lauren Corporation with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust, created to help ensure the series' future.