Downton Abbey Season 5, rumored to premiere on September 2014, might air simultaneously for the US and UK audience, said creator Julian Fellowes. However, PBS management predicts that such move would be impossible given that it might affect the number of viewers for certain time slots. 

In her interview with Radio Time, showrunner Fellowes said that she wanted Downton Abbey to air in United States with the same timeslot as that of United Kingdom to avoid unnecessary spoilers lurking over the internet.  "The difficulty that we have is that people are discussing the series as it happens online before America's seen it and on the internet we're all in the same company. It's madness," she continued.

Despite Fellowes' justification to move the show's premiere date for both locations, PBS President Paula Kerger said that the network has no further plans in changing time slots.  "It would be very hard for me to imagine putting it anywhere else than where it has seemed to have found a very strong audience," Kerger pointed out.

Meanwhile, PBS has confirmed that Sue Johnston (Coronation Street) will play the ladies' maid to the Dowager Countess of Grantham, reported Forbes. It was rumored that George Clooney will also take part in the British royal drama after he and his fiancee's (Amal Alamuddin) visit on the set.

Downton Abbey Season 5 is expected to premiere in the U.S. on January 2015 with a special holiday episode set for Christmas this year.