According to one Downton Abbey actress, no major characters will die in series 5 of the beloved Edwardian drama when it airs later this year.

Actress Lesley Nicol, who plays the lovely cook Mrs. Patmore, tells the Daily Mail that “there aren’t any plans for any big characters to die this year.”

We’re happy to assume she’s right, because Downton Abbey character deaths do not go over well with the audience.

In even better news, Nicol says that actress Maggie Smith has lots of screen time. “Dame Maggie is in it a lot this year. Don’t worry, she’s in it plenty.”

Splendid!

Downton Abbey viewers hated the sudden removals of characters like Matthew Crawley and Lady Sybil, which may explain why there weren’t any big ones in series 4 and seemingly series 5.

As Julian Fellowes reminds us, the aforementioned deaths that happened in previous series were written into the story because the actor and actress wanted to leave. “I was very interested by that. People don’t understand that we’re not in control of that kind of stuff, if an actor wants to leave the show,” he said. “We did get an absolute barrage of criticism for that,” he said, adding, “What I’m always rather touched by is the way these people become real to the audience.”

Despite being conscious of the effect deaths have on viewers, we assume that more departures will be penned into the story by way of the grim reaper. This is only natural as the show and the actors/actresses grow and want to expand or retire from their careers.

Downton Abbey series 5 premieres this fall on ITV and in early 2015 on PBS.

Thanks, Daily Mail.