As fans in the United States anticipate the fifth season of Downton Abbey, some other good news has been announced.

Are Anna & Mr. Bates Going To Wind Up In Prison On 'Downton Abbey?'

On Thursday, The Guardian announced that the series has been renewed for a sixth season and filming is supposed to begin early next year.

The broadcaster's director of drama commissioning, Steve November, mentioned that he doesn't know what's in store for the characters that season, but the series continues to be "a phenomenon."

'Downton Abbey' Actor Reveals When The Series Might Go Off The Air

Allen Leech, who plays Tom Branson on the series, recently revealed to People that some exciting situations are about to happen to his character in the fifth season.

"There are a couple of things coming up in the series that I'm bracing for, for my character alone," he said.

Even though he didn't say much else about his own character, he did reveal another character that will have an intense story.

"Downton is again in a period of change," Leech said. "The first socialist government comes in, and you have a very conservative house very worried about it. And there are great story lines for characters like Edith, and where she was left at the end of the last [season]. Is she going to be able to deal with the fact that her child is basically no longer hers? Some really, really great stuff."

Downton Abbey Season 5 is set to air in the US on Sunday, January 4 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. Season 6 will likely air in early 2016.

Tags: downton abbey television PBS