'Downton Abbey' Season 5 Premiere Date: Joanne Froggatt, Creator Julian Fellowes and Producer Talk About Water Bottle Scandal
Those behind "Downton Abbey" are opening up about "water-gate."
On Aug. 14, a picture promoting Season 5 of the U.K. series featuring Lord Grantham (played by Hugh Bonneville) and Lady Edith (played by Laura Carmichael) was released on the Internet. To fans' surprise and amusement, the picture, which is supposed to take place in 1924, featured a water bottle. It was soon removed from the show's Facebook page.
On Saturday, Joanne Froggatt, who plays Anna, talked about the situation at BAFTA's annual Emmys tea part, which was held at the SLS hotel, according to E! News.
"We don't know whose it was, to be honest," she said.
Since the incident, reports have surfaced that certain items have been banned from the set of Season 5 of the U.K. series, including water, Telegraph reports.
"Modern watches and jewellery are out and so even is modern underwear as the danger is apparently too great it could be seen if we bend over," an unnamed "member of the cast" reportedly said.
Gareth Neame, a "Downton Abbey" producer, insists, however, that those who work on show are not deprived of beverages.
"A lot of stuff written about our show and other shows is made up," he told E! News. "We do let the cast and crew drink [water] when they're working."
Julian Fellowes, the show's creator, applauded the cast's decision to use the bad publicity to raise money for the WaterAid by posing with water bottles, mimicking the error and posting the picture to Instagram with a link to the charity.
"I liked the cast's response, though, didn't you?" he told Telegraph. "It was a silly mistake, of course, and I suppose someone will be blown up for it, but if the cast can turn it around and actually help to raise some money for such a terrific cause, then I'm glad it happened. Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat."
Season 5 of "Downton Abbey" premieres in the U.S. on PBS on Jan. 4, 2015.
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.
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