<P> Downton Abbey is a British period drama television series created by Julian Fellowes and co-produced by Carnival Films and Masterpiece . It first aired on ITV in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2010, and on PBS in the United States on 9 January 2011, as part of the Masterpiece Classic anthology . Six series have been made, the sixth airing in the autumn of 2015 in the UK and Ireland, and in January 2016 in the United States . On 26 March 2015, the sixth series was confirmed to be the final series, with the final episode airing in the UK on 25 December 2015 on ITV . During the course of the programme, 52 episodes of Downton Abbey aired over six series . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Series </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Episodes </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Originally aired </Th> <Th> Ave . UK viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> First aired </Th> <Th> Last aired </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 7 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 26 September 2010 (2010 - 09 - 26) </Td> <Td> 7 November 2010 (2010 - 11 - 07) </Td> <Td> 9.70 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 8 (+ 1) </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 18 September 2011 (2011 - 09 - 18) </Td> <Td> 6 November 2011 (2011 - 11 - 06) 25 December 2011 (special) </Td> <Td> 11.68 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 8 (+ 1) </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 16 September 2012 (2012 - 09 - 16) </Td> <Td> 4 November 2012 (2012 - 11 - 04) 25 December 2012 (special) </Td> <Td> 11.91 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 8 (+ 1) </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 22 September 2013 (2013 - 09 - 22) </Td> <Td> 10 November 2013 (2013 - 11 - 10) 25 December 2013 (special) </Td> <Td> 11.84 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 5 </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 8 (+ 1) </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 21 September 2014 (2014 - 09 - 21) </Td> <Td> 9 November 2014 (2014 - 11 - 09) 25 December 2014 (special) </Td> <Td> 10.40 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 6 </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 8 (+ 1) </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 20 September 2015 (2015 - 09 - 20) </Td> <Td> 8 November 2015 (2015 - 11 - 08) 25 December 2015 (special) </Td> <Td> 10.42 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Series </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Episodes </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Originally aired </Th> <Th> Ave . UK viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr>

How many episodes in season 6 of downton abbey