PBS 'Downton Abbey' Season 5 Spoilers, Premiere Date, Cast, & Christmas Special: George Clooney Stars as Guest
George Clooney graced "Downton Abbey" with his presence in the comedy sketch that aired in the U.K. on Dec. 19. The American actor appeared alongside the cast of the popular British costume drama for charity.
The Text Santa charity raised £5.5 million (around $8.5 million) after the sketch, one of multiple, aired on ITV, according to Vanity Fair. However, the "Downton Abbey" clip was the most anticipated.
Clooney was not the only star in the sketch, a rendition of “It’s a Wonderful Life”; Jeremy Piven and Joanna Lumley also made appearances.
In the sketch, Lord Grantham wishes he had never been born. Lumley, from the hilarious “Absolutely Fabulous,” acts as Lord Grantham’s angel and shows him a different Downton.
Combining one ITV costume drama with another, Piven, who plays Harry Selfridge in “Mr. Selfridge,” appears giving the Downton women clothes and undergarments. Clooney, now the Most Honorable George Oceans Gravity, Marquis of Hollywood, is the family’s new patriarch, under whose watch the house has fallen into disgrace.
The cast even took a selfie during the sketch, which was shown on Twitter as part of the promotional campaign.
Although Lord Grantham does not lose all his money in the show, the servants’ show of generosity helped with Text Santa’s holiday message. According to the Telegraph, Text Santa will help six charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Guide Dogs, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Alzheimer’s Society, WellChild and Together for Short Lives.
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