Wes&FredFan

John Bates

John Bates is Lord Grantham's valet. Initially he is poorly treated by most of the staff due to the fact that he uses a cane (he was injured in the Boer War). Thomas and O'Brien make several attempts to get rid of him. Despite this, he is eventually able to earn the respect of much of the staff, such as Anna and Mr. Carson, who are impressed by his morals and work ethic, despite his disability.

He and Anna grow closer, and she admits that she loves him. He says "he is not a free man". She meets Bates's mother, and from her discovers while in London with Mrs. Patmore that he is married to Vera Bates, that he does not love her, that he used to be a drunk and went to prison for Vera's theft.

In 1916, he believes he can divorce Vera and proposes to Anna. However, Vera has learned that Bates has made some money working at Downton and blackmails him into resigning his job (Robert is not happy to learn this) against his will and returning to live with her. Anna is heartbroken.

She finds him working in a pub in Kirkbymoorside and convinces him to return to Downton. He offers Vera money to keep quiet about her story that she was blackmailing him with and to leave them alone. However, she is lying. She goes to Sir Richard Carlisle to expose the story, and he pays her for it but does not use it because it would give his then-fiancèe, Lady Mary Crawley, a bad name.

He and Anna marry in a court and spend a night in bed together. No one knows except Lady Mary (she did it for Anna because of her kindness towards Mary) and the maid, Jane Moorsum (Mary claims it is her 'leaving present' to Anna).

Vera commits suicide but leaves behind evidence that makes it look like Bates murdered her. He is arrested in 1919, and he goes on trial for murder. He is sentenced to hanging, but then it is reduced to life in prison.

While he is in prison, Anna comes to see him regularly and Thomas takes over as valet for him at Downton. She gets Audrey Bartlett , Vera 's neighbor and closest friend, to give a testimony that eventually proves him innocent. He returns to Downton with Anna and they move to a cottage in the village that is close to the big house so they can still work there. He helps Thomas when O'Brien 's scheme ruins his life, showing his true kindness. He, Anna , Mr. Molesley, and Miss O'Brien all travel to Scotland and stay at Duneagle Castle in September 1921. Bates and Anna take a picnic out. They comfort Lady Rose MacClare when she is crying outside and smoking after her mother yells at her. He gives her a mint and she thanks them. Lady Rose teaches Anna to dance at the Ghillies Ball and Bates is pleasantly surprised and says, "Yes. She is marvelous."

Brendan Coyle

Brendan Coyle (born 2 December 1963) is a British actor. He has garnered a wider audience on television, most recently as John Bates, the valet, in Downton Abbey. This role earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Brendan Coyle received a Laurence Olivier Award in 1999 for his performance in Conor McPherson's The Weir and won a New York Critics Theater World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut for the same play in its New York production. In 2001, Coyle appeared in the film Conspiracy as Gestapo Chief Heinrich Müller. He played Kaz Sweeney in the British drama, True Dare Kiss, and Nicholas Higgins in North & South for the BBC.

Since 2008, he has played Robert Timmins in three BBC series based on the Lark Rise to Candleford novels, written by Flora Thompson. In 2010, he began playing John Bates, valet and former British Army batman to the Earl of Grantham in Julian Fellowes's period drama series, Downton Abbey. Fellowes wrote the part for Coyle, and it won him nominations for a BAFTA and IFTA. In 2012 Coyle played the character of Terry Starling in Sky comedy series Starlings.

Follow him on twitter: https://twitter.com/brendancoyle99

L i N d $ @ y

TFTNT Donna, great start!

Btw, I edited the OP to add the link for the previous thread.

Wes&FredFan

Thanks.

I forgot to type up a season 4 summary for Bates.

L i N d $ @ y

No worries, you can just add it in for later.

I need new pics of Brendan. He's still busy with "Mojo".

Wes&FredFan

I'm looking forward to when they start filming S5 - maybe we'll get more publicity stills .

L i N d $ @ y

I always get spoiled on Tumblr and I remember not getting spoiled that much for S4 and now that the season is over, I think I should have been.

Wes&FredFan

I know what you mean about tumblr - I pretty much perched there to find out all about the newest eps as they aired in the UK until I could get the episode links. I was totally glad I knew ahead of time about the rape - that would NOT be something I would want to be unspoiled on.

I really hope that we at least see a Bates baby/toddler in S5 ... or the "start" of one (I can hope we get another lovely bed scene). Figure Bates is 52-53 at this point in time during the CS. And Anna is 35-36. If they're going to have lots of kids running around their hotel, they need to get started . I want them to keep Bates AND Anna around through the end of the entire series ....

L i N d $ @ y

They have to be and if S5 is the last, JF better have a darn good story for these two next season. Bates is not getting younger and I would really love for him to be a father.

Enora

TFTNT!

I really hope if S5 is the last one that Bates becomes father, I think it's time or he'll be too old!

L i N d $ @ y

Me too, I'd really love to see Bates as a father next season!

Wes&FredFan

I bet he'd be such a doting Daddy - just hope we get to see it.

L i N d $ @ y

I was hopeful S4 would be the season he'd be a father. I just hope before the show ends, we'll get this wish soon.

Wes&FredFan

Totally agree. I'm disappointed that the only pregnant woman we had this season was Edith ... and the father of that baby disappeared on her. Should've been Anna pregnant with baby Bates, though I'm hugely relieved that she wasn't pregnant with a child from the rape.

I read a lovely (naughty ) fic that insinuates a racy flashback regarding Bates's mentioning of a "penny lick." Rated M.

Bates/Anna - You Can Always Buy Me A Penny Lick

L i N d $ @ y

Thanks for the fic link!

And I would've loved to see Bates as a father now. I can see him always worried for Anna if she was pregnant.

Wes&FredFan

He'd be a devoted hubby, without a doubt. And of course would be worried about her every step of the way.