Julian Fellowes’ long gestating period drama The Gilded Age, is now to be made for HBO after originally being picked up by US network NBC.

The 10-episode series is being made by the Downton Abbey team of Fellowes, Gareth Neame (pictured) and Michael Engler and is set against the backdrop of the American Gilded Age in 1885, a “period of immense economic change, of huge fortunes made and lost, and the rise of disparity between old money and new money.”

The show was originally picked up by NBC 18 months ago with an air date set for spring this year.

The show will now be a co-production between HBO and Universal Television with Julian Fellowes exec producing as well as writing and Gareth Neame (Carnival) and Michael Engler also exec producing (Engler is also director).

 "Given the opulent scope and scale of this richly textured character drama, HBO is the perfect home for ‘The Gilded Age,’" said Casey Bloys, president, HBO Programming. "We’re all huge fans of Julian and I know I speak for Bob Greenblatt – who was involved in the development of this series while at Universal Television – when I say we’re thrilled to bring his undeniable genius to our viewers."

"I feel very privileged to be making "The Gilded Age" with HBO and Universal Television. It has been a dream of mine for some time, as I am fascinated by this brutal and intensely glamorous period of America’s history. It will be about ambition, of course, and envy and hatred and, perhaps most of all, about love. I hope people will enjoy the series. I know I will enjoy making it,” said Julian Fellowes.

"I’m thrilled that HBO and Universal Television will be bringing "The Gilded Age" to life. This is a compelling part of the American story and has remarkable parallels with the world we live in as these people set many of the wheels in motion that drive us today,”  said Gareth Neame.

Staff Reporter

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