Period dramas are not easy to shoot. The writing team, the cast and crew, all have to toil extra to ensure that any kind of distortion does not seep in while shooting events taking place in a particular period. Authenticity has to be maintained at all cost. To achieve that, the cast also has to end-up wearing smelly clothes, without a word of complain. British period drama series, "Downton Abbey," has a "no wash" policy, which means that the clothes worn by the actors in the show have never been washed.

The characters look beautiful on screen but in real life, they stink. Sophie McShera, who portrays the role of cook's assistant Daisy, said to Daily Mail: "We do stink, as they don't wash our costumes. They have these weird patches, which are sewn into the armpits and which they wash separately."

There will be a Christmas special episode of "Downton Abbey" on Christmas Day, December 25, 2013. Daily Mail reports that in the Christmas Special episode, Shirley MacLaine will be returning to reprise her guest role. Also, a murder plot will be revealed. Ms Hughes is expected to the one who holds the identity of the killer in her hands, as she will find a ticket in a coat's pocket in the servant's hall.

The Christmas special episode of "Downton Abbey" is a two hour episode. "Downton Abbey" has been renwed for Season 5. The new season is likely to premiere sometime in September, 2014.

[Youtube/Laura Andrea]