Downton Abbey's romances won't be sexed up any time soon, despite fans' calls for some salacious on-screen action.
Sexual innuendo is rife within Julian Fellowes' Emmy award-winning script, but action between the period drama's couples, including the head housemaid Anna and his Lordship's valet Bates as well as some other romantically inclined pairings, will stay short of the bedroom door.
Asked whether there will be an opportunity for his character Matthew Crawley to get a little more sheet action in Series Three if the drama jumps forwards a few years, Dan Stevens said: "I don't know if there is going to be a massive jump in time in the next series. I don't know if it will be weeks or months but it's not going to be a two year leap again so they haven't got that raunchy. I can only imagine."
However, Downton's producer Liz Trubridge added: "It's certainly not Julian's style to get too salacious, but it will certainly move on. We have plans for each series to be distinctive."
Hinting at what they would like to happen in Series Three, which starts filming on 13th February next year, the cast revealed their hopes for their characters at a screening of Downton's Christmas special yesterday.
Brendan Coyle, the warm, but troubled, Mr Bates joked: "I'm hoping for a spin off called Mr Bates Investigates.
He added: "I don't know, we're all happy another series has been taken up. I just know it will be very different from Series Two, which was very different from Series One. We know we'll get something fresh and it won't be dull, but we have no indication of what will happen."
Phyllis Logan, who plays Mrs Hughes, said: "I think there may be some more skeletons in the cupboard, as aspects to her character lead her down a certain path. I can't wait to find out, he won't tell us."
Stevens told us: "I think Matthew and Mary should reprise their musical duo, get into jazz and tour Paris or Berlin. That might be an interesting adventure."
Meanwhile, Laura Carmichael predicted "more heartache" for Lady Edith Crawley.
Rob James-Collier, who plays the mischievous Thomas Barrow, revealed his career aspirations for Thomas: "Whatever comes along, being the valet would be nice as he keeps banging on about it."
For Sophie McShera, the loveable Daisy, "a new dress" would improve her third series, and Siobhan Finneran, the cold-hearted O'Brien, also has her heart set on a new look.
"I'm quite hoping for some fake eyelashes and red lipstick, a new hairdo and new frock. Or a broomstick to fly on," she told us.
However, as Downton's stars emphasised, what will really happen in Series Three is still a closely kept secret. And Fellowes intends to keep his actors guessing.
Stevens added: "We see two scripts at a time so when we start the series we haven't seen Episode three, let alone Episode eight."
SLIDESHOW: A sneak peek at the Downton Christmas special...