We're marching into the mid-1920s as Downton Abbey returns for series five, and while we still shed an occasional tear for Matthew Crawley, his and Lady Mary's son looks to be growing into a strapping young lad.

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Last seen as a baby, Master George Crawley will now be played by twins Oliver and Zac Barker. As the heir to the Downton estate, little George looks the spitting image of his late father who was killed in a road accident during the 2012 Christmas special, causing much upset amongst Downton Abbey viewers.

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Little George is joined in the Downton nursery by Miss Sybbie Branson, played by Fifi Hart and pictured here with her father, Tom Branson (Allen Leech) - another single parent after his wife, Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay), died in childbirth.

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The recasting suggests we'll be seeing plenty more of the young cousins when Downton Abbey returns to our screens this autumn with their on-screen parents also reported to be pursuing new romances during series five.

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We return to the Abbey to see Lady Mary still caught between her two suitors, Viscount Anthony Gillingham (Tom Cullen) and Charles Blake (Julien Ovenden), while her brother-in-law Branson continues to embark upon his relationship with Sarah Bunting.

Authors

Susanna LazarusAssociate Editor, RadioTimes.com
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