Maggie Smith's Return to DOWNTON ABBEY Season 4 Confirmed!

TVLine reports that Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith will return to the popular British serial when it returns for its fourth season. Gareth Neame, the show's executive producer shared the news with TVLine on Sunday during a Golden Globes celebration hosted by HBO.

In recent interviews, the drama's creator Julian Fellowes confessed that even he wasn't sure of the fate of Smith's character, the Dowager Countess. "I can't tell you, 'Oh, yes, she's definitely contracted [for Season 4] - because she isn't," he said. "It's entirely up to her when she stays and when she goes."

He continued, "With Maggie, you never know. Other [actors] sign on for the next series and they sign for this and they sign for that, but she doesn't. She stays her own person. But as far as I'm concerned, I hope she stays with the show until Downton falls down."

Recently it was announced that series stars Jessica Brown Findlay and Dan Stevens would not return for the upcoming season. Their 'departure' was explained during a special Christmas episode which aired after the show's third season.