PBS Announces Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE Cast Member Elizabe McGovern to Ride on a Special Downton Abbey-emed Float in the 7 Rose Parade

Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham.

(C) Nick Briggs/Carnival

ARLINGTON, VA; December 21, 2015 -- PBS today announced that Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE cast member Elizabeth McGovern, who portrays Cora, Countess of Grantham, is among those confirmed to ride a float celebrating the show in the 127th Rose Parade on January 1, 2016.

The float, themed The Final Adventure (a nod to the parade's theme of Find Your Adventure ), celebrates the much-anticipated Downton Abbey, The Final Season, a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE co-production airing Sundays, beginning January 3, 2016, at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS.

In Downton Abbey, McGovern plays American heiress Cora, Countess of Grantham, a role that has garnered nominations for a Golden Globe in 2012 and a Primetime Emmy in 2011. Other credits include her Oscar and Golden Globe nominated performance in Ragtime (1981), Ordinary People (1980) and The Wings of the Dove (1997).

I'm thrilled to be riding on the Downton Abbey' float in the iconic Rose Parade, says McGovern, who grew up in California. As we enter our final season, this gives me an opportunity to acknowledge our millions of fans in the US and around the world.

For the float, the Crawley family estate has been painstakingly recreated in float form, complete with a magnificent landscape depicting English rose gardens and rolling green lawns and a 1919 Bentley driven by the family chauffeur. The float will feature more than 60,000 roses in 20 different varieties including velvety Roseberry and Cherry O roses; fragile pink Titanic and Priceless roses and English garden roses, which are rarely seen at the Rose Parade. Oriental lilies, snapdragons, hypericum and a variety of orchids will provide accents throughout the garden.

Since its debut on PBS in 2011, Downton Abbey has been a runaway hit with fans. Season 5 of the series, which concluded on March 1, 2015, was seen by 25.5 million people. The season had a weekly average audience of 12.9 million viewers over its nine-week run (Source: Nielsen Live+7 data). With 59 Emmy nominations, more than any other non-US show in Emmy history, Downton Abbey is one of the most-honored series on television. It has won 12 Emmys , three Golden Globes , three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Producers Guild Award and three BAFTAs, as well as a 2015 BAFTA Special Award in recognition of the series' outstanding global success.

For news and updates pertaining to Downton Abbey, go to pbs.org/downton or follow #DowntonPBS on Twitter.

Downton Abbey is a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE co-production written and created by Julian Fellowes. It is executive produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge and Nigel Marchant. Chris Croucher is the producer. The executive producer for MASTERPIECE is Rebecca Eaton. The senior series producer for MASTERPIECE is Susanne Simpson.

About the Pasadena Tournament of Roses

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that annually hosts the Rose Parade ,the Rose Bowl Game and a variety of associated events. The tournament's 935 volunteer members act as ambassadors of the organization within the community and serve on one of 31 committees that ensure the success of the parade and game. Collectively, they contribute upwards of 80,000 hours of manpower each year. The 127th Rose Parade, presented by Honda and themed Find Your Adventure, will take place Friday, January 1, 2016, followed by the 102nd Rose Bowl Game, presented by Northwestern Mutual. For additional information on the Tournament of Roses, please visit the official website at www.tournamentofroses.com

About Paradiso Parade Floats

Based in Irwindale, California, Paradiso Parade Floats is a boutique float builder for the Tournament of Roses specializing in high-end designs for select clients. Paradiso's distinctive vision has earned the highest prize-winning rate in the industry. Owner and creative director Charles Meier holds the record as the youngest designer in the history of the parade, having created his first entry at age 13. Over the last 20 years, sophisticated design, lush flowering and meticulous craftsmanship have become his signature. For more information, please visitwww.paradisoparadefloats.com

About PBS

PBS, with 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 103 million people through television and over 33 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

About MASTERPIECE

The top-rated primetime show on PBS, MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston. Rebecca Eaton is executive producer. Funding for the series is provided by Viking River Cruises and Audible, with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust, created to help ensure the series' future.

About WGBH

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