The countdown before the new season of Downton Abbey begins as PBS released an official release date for season 5, and it will be on January 4 next year.

PBS has announced that the fifth season of the period drama, Downton Abbey, is set to begin airing on January 4, 2015. The said premiere date is for America, and is two to three after its British premiere. The show is set to premiere in UK in September 2014.

PBS is keen on giving its shows a proper and firm release date earlier on, compared to UK's ITV, which does not release an official date as early as the U.S.

As for character developments, Lesley Nichols, the actress who plays Mrs. Patmore, revealed juicy details for the next season. In an interview, the actress assured Downton Abbey fans that there will be no major character deaths on the upcoming season.

"There aren't any plans for any big characters to die this year," said the actress in an interview with the Daily Star Sunday.

"There has been such a big fuss in the past, especially with Matthew Crawley," added the actress in the same post.

"I think it would be very unwise to do any more deaths because the viewers don't like them," further revealed Nichols.