Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
After three seasons with the villainess Sarah O’Brien on Downton Abbey, fans will have to say goodbye as it has been reported that actress Siobhan Finneran will not be returning for the upcoming season.
Finneran, who’s snagged a role as a nurse in the second season of the BBC’s The Syndicate, said she’s sorry to leave Downton and that she enjoyed playing such a dislikable character.
“I’m not doing any more,” Finneran told the UK’s Mirror. “O’Brien is a thoroughly despicable human being – that was great to play.”
Finneran’s character was indeed a troublemaker. During her tenure as Lady Grantham’s maid, she schemed, meddled, and exploited the house for her own selfish purposes – even at the expense and health of her employer.
According to TV Line, O’Brien will depart the Yorkshire country estate during the time jump between seasons three and four. Her exit comes on the heels of two other major sendoffs, for Sybil (played by Jessica Brown Findlay) and Matthew (Dan Stevens).
A Downton spokeswoman confirmed Finneran’s exit, but added that it’s possible that she might return one day.
Downton Abbey airs on Thursday at 10pm on OSN First/OSN First HD.
