Downton Abbey is a place rooted in tradition and we have come to depend on its stick-in-the-mud ways, but today we have word of something that threatens to shake our favorite British estate to its very core: We might have to face a season four with no Dame Maggie Smith and no Dan Stevens. A show without the Dowager Countess and Matthew Crawley? The horror!
Smith and Stevens have not yet signed contracts for season four. They're all currently at work on season three, so they won't disappear too suddenly, if they go. But it's troubling because many of the other major players have already agreed to star in season four. Smith is 77, so perhaps she's eyeing retirement and is weary of making too long-term a commitment. And maybe Stevens wants to take advantage of his newfound fame and be free to do other projects. Apparently Lady Sybil and Mrs. O'Brien are also on the fence about continuing on. Noooo. It seems like Carson the Butler needs to give everyone a stern talking to and put an end to this nonsense. But until we get word that everyone has fallen in line, we'll be over here quaking in our period, lace-up boots. [The Mirror]
For a few beautiful moments, it seemed like it could be possible that Tim Tebow might become the star of the next The Bachelor. Host Chris Harrison told Access Hollywood, "I've actually met Tim Tebow. I met him about becoming our next Bachelor. I think he'd be a great Bachelor." Hearts everywhere soared, but now a nation is crestfallen as ABC confirms that, in fact, Harrison was just joking, and they have had no conversations with Tebow about joining the show. Ugh. OK, fine. But if he can't be on The Bachelor, can he at least do a one-hour special where he plays a very tame dating game with all the famous girls who are supposedly crushing on him, like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift? Give us something to work with here. [THR, Extra TV]
Seventeen magazine asked Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence whether she's Team Gale or Team Peeta. Her answer?
I think I was [Team] Gale until he started getting a little too trigger-happy. Or maybe first Peeta and then Gale or Gale, then Peeta? I went back and forth. I flip-flopped.
She's like a regular Mitt Romney over here. (Groan.) Fortunately, she's not letting it get in the way of her feelings about her costars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. She says she likes them both equally. [OMG!]
Prince Harry visited Jamaica today and got to meet Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt. The two had a "race," which sounds pretty funny, actually. Harry had a false start and then Bolt just jogged behind him as he raced down the track. Bolt said, "He cheated. I said we would have a rematch in London 2012 and Harry said, 'I'm busy." But just in case there was any doubt who actually is the best, Bolt reminded us, "I'm still the fastest man in the world — so he has a long way to go." [People]
What will Snooki name her baby? Well, she hasn't commented since actually (probably) being pregnant, but she's previously said that she likes the names Gia, Isabella, and Giana for a girl. For a boy, she might go for Tony or Frankie, but she'd also think about naming a son after her fiancé, Jionni LaValle. Oh God, this is going to be so good. I know she's only been pregnant for like four days, but why can't this baby get here already? [People]
They may have split, but it appears Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have kept in contact throughout her ordeal. She was apparently back in Los Angeles for a few days after leaving rehab and before heading on vacation to the Turks and Caicos. During that time, Ashton came over for a visit and reportedly stayed for about an hour and a half. But don't get any ideas about them reconciling. He showed up with three male friends in tow. [E!]
It looks like Rosie O'Donnell is moving her show to New York. A source says Rosie now sees it was a mistake to try to make it happen in Chicago—even though Oprah's old studio was sitting there empty. It was too hard on her to travel there for tapings, and it was also harder on her guests. No word on when exactly the move will take place, but Rosie has already put her $2.5 million house (which she wasn't even living in because Oprah was supplying an apartment for her) on the market. [HuffPo]
Here are some pictures of Adele as a cute little child. She even played the guitar when she was four. [Daily Mail]
After Nick and Vanessa Lachey revealed they're expecting a baby, Nick talked to Kelly Ripa this morning about how the couple envisions things going in the delivery room:
I'm gonna be there, I'm gonna be supportively there, holding hands, and coaching, breathing, all that good stuff. But apparently I won't be down below, seeing what's happening. I'll be up above, helping. My work there is done! I was successful there. So we'll keep it waist-up.
Best of luck with that, friend. [People]
Baby bump watchers: You can take Miranda Lambert off your list. Her husband Blake Shelton says they're at least a few years from having a baby. Of course, Nick Lachey said something similar not that long ago, and look where that got us. Lesson: We must remain constantly vigilant, no matter what stars say to try to throw us off their trail. [Us]
Brian Austin Green refuses to let his wife, Megan Fox, watch any episodes of Beverly Hills 90210. He says, "She tries to sneak them on SOAPnet. And then she gets in trouble for it. We have a rule: We don't watch each other's stuff." Damn, it's hard to imagine a life lived completely without knowledge of 90210. [Vulture]
For those of you wanting a little more Connie Britton in your life, you'll be happy to know that she's been cast in a new ABC show called Nashville. She's going to play Rayna James, a once-popular country musician who pairs up with a younger musician (played by Hayden Panettiere) to revive her career. Tami Taylor, y'all! [E!]
Not content to let Snooki be the only Jersey Shore cast member to get all the attention, The Situation has launched his own gossip site. Welcome to Sitch News, which bears, um, a strong resemblance to Gawker, a little site you may or may not be familiar with. Sadly, the Sitch doesn't seem to be offering any insider information on what's happening with Snooks. [Sitch News]
Oh lordy, Kris Humphries' sister Kaela, 29, has signed on with Ford Models. Let's hope they don't spawn into a mini-media dynasty in the fashion of their rival family, the Kardashians. [E!]
By far the best gossip headline of the day is this from TMZ regarding Eddie Van Halen: "I Own a Tiny Dog... and I'm DAMN Proud Of It!" For the record, Eddie owns a cute little Pomeranian named Kody. [TMZ]
Actress Linda Cardellini and her boyfriend Steve Rodriguez welcomed a baby girl, Lilah-Rose, on Leap Day. [People]
Songwriter Robert B. Sherman, the songwriter who brought the world "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and other Disney classics, has died at the age of 86. [AP]