Warning: This story contains spoilers. ___________________________________ The gaping chasm in our TV watching since this year’s Downton Abbey season finished is being filled just a little bit by this sneaky peek inside the Christmas special which will be aired on St Stephen’s Day. TV3 have just announced that not only will the two-hour special be packed with drama both upstairs and downstairs, but that it will also feature some new special guests including Alun Armstrong (Braveheart, Sleepy Hollow) and Jane Lapotaire (Blind Justice, Shooting Fish). Starting with the Crawley family though and there is set to be major drama after they accept an invitation to a shooting party by Rose’s father-in-law, Lord Sinderby, who has rented out Brancaster Castle in Northumberland. Although it seems like the day is going well, Stowell (Armstrong) has a bone to pick with someone and a scandalous secret threatens to undermine the holiday, with a good few surprises in store for certain characters... uh oh. Meanwhile, Anna is looking at an uncertain time behind bars and it is reported that her loyal husband Bates is about to take some very drastic measures in order to clear her name. Elsewhere, the servants hold the fort back at Downton and Baxter and Molesley are busy on a joint plan and Carson and Mrs Hughes consider a business venture… which should prove to be very interesting indeed. The two-hour long ‘Downton Abbey Christmas Episode’ will air on St. Stephen’s Day (26^th December) on TV3.