Downton Abbey News - Love 4 Branson

Actress Daisy Lewis is being brought in as the nanny,  to heal the broken heart of widower Tom Branson in the new Season of Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey's New Nanny

And those haunting lips and sultry looks seem bound to remind him of wife Lady Sybil Crawley who died in childbirth in the last series.

Newcomer Daisy, 35, who has starred in Doctor Who, will play the live-in governess of Tom’s daughter, also called Sybil in memory of her tragic mum, played by Jessica Brown Findlay.

She will quickly strike up a ­romance with the handsome Irishman, the family’s former chauffeur, played by Allen Leech.

A source said: “Daisy will become one of Downton’s most prominent characters. She wowed producers in her audition and they are delighted to have secured such a brilliant young actress.

“Her romance with Tom will be one of the main storylines of the series. He will begin to develop feelings for her and they start a secret affair.

"Tom will have an even bigger role in the new series after ­becoming the estate manager of Downton.

"The writers know he is a very popular ­character and the ­viewers were gripped by Lady Sybil’s traumatic death.

“In the Christmas special one of the new maids tried to kiss Tom although, at the time, he wasn’t quite ready to move on.

“But viewers will see that’s all going to change in the new series.”

Tragic: Sybil died giving birth

Daisy already knows what it’s like to move in posh Downton-style circles.

She is the daughter of multi-millionaire business man John Lewis and the family own a £700,000 Grade II listed country retreat in Dorset and also a property in Chelsea.

Her dad is chairman of London’s exclusive celeb haunt The Groucho Club and owns a 40 per cent stake in the four-star Sloane Square Hotel.

Daisy, who trained with the ­National Youth Theatre, has previously made a guest appearance in Doctor Who ­playing Javit and appeared alongside model Agyness Deyn as a drug-addict in the 2011 film Pusher.

The versatile actress has also ­appeared in ITV’s Lewis and has written for the Sunday Telegraph as well as producing short films Snap Shot and The Door, starring Charles Dance.

She first met Downton creator Julian Fellowes when she appeared in the 2009 film From Time To Time which he directed.

Daisy is one of five new cast ­members joining the period drama. Big name additions include Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti as the playboy brother of Lady Cora, and opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who will play a house guest.

Former EastEnder Nigel Harman is set to star as a visiting valet.

Romance: Tom will start affair

Death in Paradise and Bluestone 42 actor Gary Carr has also joined the cast as a “charming and charismatic” jazz singer named Jack Ross – the programme’s first black character.

Joanna Davis, Julian Ovenden, Tom Cullen, and Dame Harriet Walters have also been added to the line-up.

Shirley MacLaine will return to play Martha Levinson for the eight-part series and another Christmas feature-length episode is planned.

Several key cast members have quit the show since the end of the third series, including Dan Stevens who played Matthew Crawley and Siobhan Finneran as Downton’s vindictive housemaid O’Brien.

Speculation is rife that this could be the last series.

It has won nine Emmys, two Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the cast – but failed to be nominated for this year’s Baftas.

Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/downton-abbey-newcomer-daisy-lewis-2051319#ixzz2YzBHRe55 

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