Downton film unites Carson with wife

 When Jim Carter signed up to reprise his role as Mr Carson the butler in the Downton Abbey film, he expected to welcome some new faces to the cast. He didn’t expect one of them to be his wife.

Carter had no idea that the producers planned to cast Imelda Staunton, his wife of 35 years.

“It was a surprise to both of us when the offer came in. She said, ‘You’ll never guess what’s happened. They’ve sent me the script of Downton,’” the actor said.

The couple last worked together a decade ago in Cranford, the BBC series.

The film is set in 1927-28, a year after the television series ended. It will open next September.