More drama offscreen at the rebooted PBS drama 'Upstairs Downstairs.' It's been announced that star and co-creator Jean Marsh will miss the first few episodes of Season 2 due to illness.

The BBC reports that Marsh has suffered a minor stroke and that scripts are being rewritten to accommodate her absence before filming starts next week.

Marsh, who plays maid Rose Buck, is the only cast member from the 1970s original series to appear in the rebooted version. She won Emmy nominations for her work in the role in 2011, 1974 and 1976, winning the award in 1975.

Last night PBS period drama 'Downton Abbey' bagged four Emmy Awards, making it one of the biggest winners of the night, and helping PBS land the coveted spot of top broadcast network at the awards.

Together with the Creative Arts Emmys, which were held last week, PBS scooped 14 Emmys in total, making it the most successful broadcast network. HBO was the top cable network, with 19.

'Downton Abbey' won the Emmy for Outstanding Made For Television Movie/Miniseries, in what creator Julian Fellowes called a David and Goliath story, "except in this case Goliath was wonderful, some wonderful shows that we were up against, and it seems perfectly extraordinary that we've won."

The Masterpiece drama was victorious in a strong field dominated by Emmy powerhouse HBO, which had three nominations -- 'Mildred Pierce,' 'Too Big to Fail' and 'Cinema Verité.'

It's been announced that Masterpiece on PBS is set to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth by producing an ambitious two-part drama based on his final, unfinished novel.

Described as "a strange, disturbing and modern tale about drugs, stalking and darkness visible," 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' is a is a psychological thriller about a provincial choirmaster's obsession with a young woman, and the lengths to which he'll go to attain her.

Matthew Rhys ('Brothers & Sisters') has signed on to play the troubled, opium-addicted choirmaster John Jasper, with Tamzin Merchant ('The Tudors') playing the object of his affections, 17-year old Roza Bud.

It's been announced that Ray Winstone ('Sexy Beast,' 'The Departed') has signed on to star in a new TV version of Charles Dickens' novel 'Great Expectations.'

The three-part miniseries is a BBC/PBS Masterpiece co-production, and filming's slated to start in London in July. Producers describe it as "Part thriller, part mystery, with a powerful love story at its heart and Dickens' trademark wit and characterisation throughout.

Winstone will play the pivotal character of Abel Magwitch: "'Great Expectations' is my favourite novel, and I'm thrilled to be playing Magwitch. I've wanted to play him for ages ... and I can't wait to get stuck in."

Created during the Nixon Administration, in existence longer than CNN and HBO, 'Masterpiece Theatre' began 40 years ago last week on public television stations. It earned its very first Emmy for Best Miniseries in its second season, for 'Tom Brown's Schooldays.'

That show was very much a part of the golden age of the miniseries in the mid-1970s, with such blockbusters as ABC's 'Rich Man, Poor Man' and 'Roots', and 'Masterpiece Theatre's own 'Upstairs, Downstairs'.

Hi, my name is Sandie, and I'm a PBS MasterpieceTheatre addict -- especially when it comes to the Masterpiece Classic programs.

It's not really my fault. Blame my dearly departed aunt, a total Anglophile and 'Upstairs, Downstairs' devotee who couldn't wait to watch the original Alistair Cooke-hosted Masterpiece Theatre productions. When I was one year old, my aunt convinced my mother to watch the acclaimed 13-part miniseries 'I, Claudius,' starring Derek Jacobi, and then she was hooked too.

It looks like David Tennant had no problem finding additional work now that his run on Doctor Who is ending. He has been signed to host Masterpiece Contemporary (the contemporary version of Masterpiece Theatre) on PBS. It's likely that for this role he will be returning to his native Scottish accent.

There is some mild irony at the fact that in the old days before cable TV, Doctor Who used to be shown ad infinitum on PBS and became the only place for American audiences to enjoy the show. There is even more irony at the fact that Masterpiece Contemporary will be more easily accessible to American audiences than Doctor Who.

Tennant seems a little young to host, but when I think of Masterpiece Theatre (and not it's modern versions), I keep thinking of those SNL sketches from the 70's with Dan Aykroyd as Leonard Pinth-Garnell. But that's probably more an issue with me.

• At 7:45, Showtime2 has David Duchovny in The TV Set.
• At 8, CBS has a new Million Dollar Password.
• Disney has a new Hannah Montana at 8, then a new Wizards of Waverly Place.
• At 9, NBC has a new Dateline.
• PBS has a new Masterpiece Theatre at 9.
• There's a new Law and Order: CI on USA at 9, followed by a new In Plain Sight.
• TLC has a new Singing Office at 9.
• HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
• Food Network has a new Iron Chef America at 9, then a new Next Food Network Star.
• HBO has The Simpsons Movie at 9.
• Also at 9: Nickelodeon has a new Nick News Special.
• At 10, Lifetime has a new Army Wives.
• Spike has a new episode of Factory at 10.
• At 11:30, Showtime has a new I Can't Believe I'm Still Single.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• The Ambassador - Series 2
• Backyard Habitat - Best Of: Vol. 1
• Cartoon Commercials
• Friday Night Lights - Season 2
• House of Venus - Season 2
• Laverne & Shirley - Season 4
• Masterpiece Theatre - Mill on the Floss
• Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! - Season 1

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Alien Nation - The Ultimate Movie Collection
• American Dad - Vol. 3
• College Hill: Interns
• The Goldbergs - Best Of
• How The Earth Was Made
• Jupiter Moon - Set 3
• Masterpiece Theatre - Room with a View
• Melrose Place - Season 4
• SpongeBob SquarePants - Pest of the West
• The Woody Woodpecker Show - Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection Vol. 2

... Gillian Anderson!

Yup, the X-Files star will host the new and improved version of Masterpiece Theatre when it debuts on PBS on January 13. The show is going to be split into three different versions in 2008. Anderson will host the Masterpiece Classics, which will feature new adaptations of classic novels and stories, and then, in the summer, a new host will be at the helm of Masterpiece Mystery, the new name of the Mystery! series. In the fall, we'll have Masterpiece Contemporary, which will be modern novels and stories filmed for the small screen.

Anderson is also about to start film the new X-Files movie, along with David Duchovny, Amanda Peet, and Billy Connolly.

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Evel Knievel: He was the most famous motorcycle stunt artist, and he seemed to be on ABC's Wide World of Sports every other week in the 70s. His most famous jumps were his Caesar's Palace jump and his Snake River Canyon jump in a rocket. Though he made more than he missed. He died of complications from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis at age 69. Oddly, just two days ago he settled a lawsuit with Kanye West.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Shark.
• NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, followed by the Patriots/Bills game.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• ABC has The American Music Awards at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• There's a new Life is Wild on The CW at 8.
• At 9, Food Network has a new Iron Chef America, featuring the winner of Next Iron Chef.
• Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Brotherhood.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new Metalocalypse, followed by new episodes of Xavier: Renegade Angel and Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season premiere of The Amazing Race and new episodes of Cold Case and Shark.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 7:30, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos., followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then two new episodes of Family Guy and a new American Dad.
• The CW has a new Life is Wild at 8.
• There's a new Nature on PBS at 8, then a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• TBS has Lindsay Lohan in Herbie: Fully Loaded at 8 (then again at 10). Please insert your own "Lindsay Lohan/Fully Loaded" joke here.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by a new Next Iron Chef.
• Also at 8: Nickelodeon has a new Zoey 101, then a new Unfabulous.
• At 9, HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me, followed by a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Brotherhood.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then a new Metalocalypse.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• G4 is running a Heroes marathon all day and night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 8, FOX has Game 4 of The World Series.
• The CW has a new Life Is Wild at 8.
• There's a new Nature on PBS at 8, then a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• The Cartoon Network has the new movie The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It at 8.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then new episodes of The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America.
• At 9, CBS has a new Cold Case, followed by a new Shark.
• HGTV has the special What's With That Haunted Halloween House at 9.
• HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Brotherhood.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.