By Hanna Flint
Published: 18:10 EST, 29 May 2014 | Updated: 18:27 EST, 29 May 2014
Sue Johnston is the latest addition to the Downton Abbey cast.
The veteran actress, known for her work Waking the Dead, The Royle Family and Coronation Street, is to take on the role of Denker, Lady's Maid to Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, played by Dame Maggie Smith.
Johnston follows in the footsteps of other guest stars including, Richard E. Grant, Anna Chancellor and Rade Sherbedgia.
Joining the downstairs: Sue Johnston joins Downton Abbey as the Dowager Countess's Lady's Maid
Sue's debut will appear in the fifth series of Downton Abbey which will return this Christmas with a feature length episode.
It seems that Downton is one of the projects that Johnston wanted to undertake upon her exit from ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
Last June, the 61-year old actress told Corrie producers that she would not be staying on with the show after her contract ended in December 2013.
In good company: The actress will be debuting in series five of the period drama this Christmas
Bye bye Gloria: Sue Johnston left Coronation Street to focus on other TV and film projects
But her character Gloria wasn't killed off, as show bosses hope she'll walk down the cobbled streets once more.
An insider told The Sun newspaper: 'Bosses hoped to keep her for longer but understand she wants to do other things.
'But they have no intention of killing Gloria off.'
Sue made her character debut last September as the mother of Stella Price - played by Michelle Collins - who moves in with her land lady daughter after returning from Spain where she was working in a bar.
Good training: Having to look after The Royle family has given Sue good experience for the Lady's Maid role in Downton
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