'Timeless triumph' period drama Downton Abbey fans will love on BBC tonight

A heart-rending period drama, ideal for Downton Abbey enthusiasts, is set to grace BBC screens tonight.

The Remains of the Day, featuring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins, is scheduled for a 10.45pm showing on BBC2 this evening, promising to dispel any Sunday night gloom.

Set in both the 1930s and post-war Britain in 1958, The Remains of the Day was a resounding success both critically and commercially. It secured eight Oscar nominations, with Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins receiving individual commendations.

Hopkins portrays Stevens, the butler of Darlington Hall, while Thompson embodies Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper. The film commences in 1958 as Stevens receives a letter from his previous colleague, now Mrs Benn, informing him of their disgraced and broken former employer's death.

Through flashbacks, The Remains of the Day revisits the pair's initial meeting at Darlington Hall in the 1930s, where they initially clashed due to their contrasting personalities, reports the Mirror.

Their employer, the Earl of Darlington, is a Nazi Germany sympathiser, causing tensions to rise within the household.

Over time, Miss Kenton and Stevens develop a bond until she meets her future husband Tom Benn and agrees to marry him, hoping that Stevens will finally reveal his true feelings for her.

Viewers have lavished praise on the film, recommending it to anyone who enjoys Downton Abbey. The film boasts an impressive 96 percent rating on film review site Rotten Tomatoes.

One reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes said: "Amazing work by Hopkins and Thompson. He epitomises the repressed English so much, pretending not to hear what is clearly going on around him whilst the upper class he serves allows WW1 to happen.

"Thompson's character does well to balance him out, though I think she should have shouted and screamed at him to open up."

A second viewer added: "Well acted and great cast. If you like Downton Abbey, this movie would be one you'd like."

Meanwhile, a third wrote: "A thoughtful, touching and impactful story which is beautifully written, directed and blessed by two of the finest central performances you will ever see.

"A classic of its genre and a film that stays with you long after the end credits roll. A timeless triumph."

The Remains of the Day airs on BBC2 at 10.45pm tonight (Sunday).