Downton Abbey
Bad News For Mr. Bates: Downton Abbey’s Brendan Coyle Banned From Driving After Being Caught Behind the Wheel Drinking!
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
As viewers in the U.S. watch Downton Abbey’s sixth and final season on PBS Masterpiece, one of the series favorite actors, Brendan Coyle (Mr. Bates) has been in the news cycle the last 24 hours with some troubling news.
Coyle, who plays Lord Grantham’s (Hugh Bonneville) stoical valet who always seems to land in trouble on-screen, has gotten in serious trouble with the law off-screen. The actor was banned from driving for more than four years after he was found to be nearly three times over the drink-drive limit while driving home after flying back from a Thailand rehabilitation clinic for alchocol abuse. He was reportedly drinking on the flight.
In the UK, the ‘Downton’ star appeared before King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court under his real name of David Coyle. He was stopped by police in his BMW on the A149 near King’s Lynn on January 1st of this year.
Not only was Brendan banned from driving for 50 months, but ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also given a 12-month community order with 15 days rehabilitation activity to be supervised by a probation officer.
So, what do you think of this news regarding one of our favorite stars from Downton Abbey? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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I wish him well in his quest for a successful recovery. I also wish this wasn’t important to the media as his health and legal problems have no bearing on his art as a performer.
This has nothing to do with the soaps and there’s no reason for it being reported here.
Downton Abbey’s not a soap? I disagree with you there.
Downton is a grand and epic soap but Mr. Coyle’s personal troubles off screenhave nothing to do with it and this should be treated as a private matter.
Mark Y…last we all checked this was Michael Fairman’s site. We’re just “guests ” here so I think Michael kinda knows what falls under the category. It’s a UK, PBS broadcast to America, limited to much less years than the American daytime stories…posh soap. Sorta. Lol…it’s all good. Great show. Sad to see it end.
But if the mainstream media is going to report things like this (and of course they will), why wouldn’t the soap media, this site included? And it’s not as though this is the only incident like this one that this site has reported; Mr. Coyle is not being singled out for coverage. When soap stars make the news, even in a negative light, it usually gets reported on here. Most recently in regard to Downton, I remember a story about Michelle Dockery’s fiance passing away. Not really any of my business any more than Mr. Coyle’s legal troubles, but I… Read more »
But neither does MB appearing on Dr OZ for his bipolar disorder,or ED family member passing away and both are listed on this site as recent threads– like it or not, soaps sites are as much about the personal life of the actors who play on the soaps as it is the soaps themselves— all I can suggest is if you not interested in any actor’s personal life avoid those threads and just read those that relate to the shows and or their stories. However Mr. Fairman knows many viewers are interested the actors who work on the soaps and… Read more »
Oh poor Mr. Bates…Anna’s not going to be able to save you this time. And as much as I love the character, it’s sad news to learn of his addiction. Dangerous to himself…and apparently others. He deserves to lose his driving privileges, but he also needs more help. Too ironic that he was driving under the influence on his way home from rehab. Unless he never attended any meetings?
Hope this fine actor can find his way….
Oh, here we go (Y-E-T!!!!!) once again…another celebrity busted for drinking and driving!!!!! When, oh, when will these fools ever learn?!?!?!?!?! Dumb as hell.
“Dumb as hell” is a little harsh, but I have to agree with you that as much publicity as DUI has had over the last ten to twenty years, it’s hard to understand how people (famous or not) keep making this same mistake. I’m quite aware that alcohol impairs judgment, but isn’t that an argument for even greater vigilance if you’re out somewhere in public consuming alcohol and you drove to get there? Or even if you’re at home consuming alcohol and you know you’re going to need to drive within a few hours? (And by that I mean: if… Read more »
And this is not the first instance of Mr. Coyle’s utter disregard for the rest of humanity, jaybird369! There were numerous reports in the British press how filming had to be repeatedly postponed/cancelled on the Downton Abbey set because “Mr. Bates” was in such a shambolic state from his out-of-control drinking that he couldn’t even deliver or remember his lines. Hence though I found his “downstairs duo” with Anna to be a very absorbing tale, I often felt that his trademark brooding intensity was more real-life baggage than great acting….same goes for Joanne Froggatt’s unquestionably fine performances as his endlessly… Read more »
I’ll keep Mr. Coyle in my prayers and am proud of his decision to put his health first. He is one of the most talented actors in the world and I’m looking forward to watching him on Acorn and Hulu for many years to come.
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