The Insider.com

Since a period piece becoming watercooler fodder is unheard of, it should come as no surprise that Downton Abbey spoilers have now become a hot commodity online.

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And over the weekend, producers of the Masterpiece Classics smash hit found themselves having to battle back against on-set rumors for the first time after The U.K.'s Daily Mail reported that Dame Maggie Smith wanted off the show.

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"She is filming until August and then wants to leave, going out on a high," they wrote. "She thinks that three [seasons] is enough and she wants to get back to the stage and big screen." This rumor was further bolstered by a comment Rebecca Eaton (EP of Masterpiece Classic) made earlier this month.

While speaking to a local Florida paper, she teased that in season three, "Somebody will die, somebody pretty key in the cast, unfortunately not going to make it," before later adding, "Maggie Smith is a handful, it's true. She's very difficult. She knows her worth, and she's tricky on the set, but she delivers when the time comes."

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And while Downton's team remained mum throughout the hubbub, the show's official Twitter account recently wrote, "We do not comment on future story lines, however there is no truth in the story that Maggie Smith is leaving the show."

So the Dowager is safe ... for now.