Sorry, Lady Mary– George Clooney isn’t going to be your latest suitor. But he did visit the set of Downton Abbey to film a charity sketch (and make the Dowager Countess faint).
Clooney was visiting the set to film a spin-off sketch for ITV’s annual Text Santa charity drive. In the charity episode, Clooney reportedly kisses Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess, and she falls into a swoon. “George plants a kiss and Maggie ends up on the floor, it’s wonderful. He was hilarious,” actress Laura Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith, told The Telegraph.
When asked whether George Clooney could have a regular role on the show, creator Julian Fellowes seemed ready to swoon as well. “As far as I’m concerned, he can have whatever he likes,” Fellowes said. “He can take over from Maggie (Smith) if he likes.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com