Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule

Downton Abbey cast reunite for work on third film

A Downton Abbey star revealed that the cast sometimes “stank” because their costumes aren’t allowed to be washed.

Set in post-Edwardian Britain, the beloved historical drama aired from 2010 to 2015 and followed the lives of the Crawley family, a British aristocratic clan, and their servants.

Sophie McShera, who played Daisy Mason on Downton Abbey and also starred as Ros McCain in Waterloo Road, shared some surprising behind-the-scenes details from the hit series.

She revealed that the wardrobe team has a strict “no wash” rule to keep the outfits looking true to the time period.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2013, the 39-year-old actress explained: “We do stink, as they don’t wash our costumes. They have these weird patches, which are sewn into the armpits and which they wash separately.”

READ MORE: Downton Abbey cast's 2024 journey from Hollywood success to tragic deaths [LATEST]

Sophie McShera has shared a behind the scenes secret from the franchise (Image: Getty)

Following the success of the TV series, the story was expanded into two feature films. The first, Downton Abbey (2019), picked up where the show left off, while Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) took the family on a new adventure, including a storyline set in the south of France.

Now, Downton Abbey 3 is in production, with filming taking place in Hampshire, England. The movie is set to be released on September 12, 2025.

The cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, and Penelope Wilton.

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Lesley Nicol, Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, and Douglas Reith also returned to their roles, alongside Dominic West, who portrayed Guy Dexter in the second film, and Paul Giamatti, who played Cora Grantham's brother Harold Levinson in a previous Christmas special.

Dockery previously opened up about how filming for the third film was “emotional.”

In a YouTube video, Dockery said: “It feels amazing and emotional. It’s wonderful to be back together again.

“You come back together and it’s like no time has passed at all. We’re so happy to announce that we’re in production for the third Downton Abbey movie. We can’t wait to see you.”

Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule

Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule

Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule

Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule

Downton Abbey cast 'stank' on set as bosses had bizarre costume rule