Cast of "Downton Abbey" [Photo: agencies]

The producers of "Downton Abbey" have announced the forthcoming 6th season of period-piece drama will be its last.

Executive producer Gareth Neame says he wants to close the door on "Downton Abbey" when it felt natural for the storylines to come together.

He is also promising the final season will still be packed with the usual drama and intrigue.

The Emmy Award-winning show is the highest rated U.K. drama of the past decade across British channels.

It follows the fates of the aristocratic Crawley clan and their servants amid the social upheavals of the early 20th century.

"Downton Abbey" first began airing in the UK in 2010, but quickly became a global phenomenon.