Will Maggie Smith Leave ‘Downton Abbey’? And How?

The reports are flooding in: Maggie Smith wants to leave “Downton Abbey”

According to MSNBC, the British Dame has told creator Julian Fellowes that she wants to get off the British TV show.  The Daily Mail reports:

“Maggie has asked Julian to write her character out…She is filming until August and then wants to leave, going out on a high. She thinks that three (seasons) is enough and she wants to get back to the stage and big screen.”

So how will Dowager Countess be taken out?  Sources say a fatal illness will probably strike her at the end of the third season, which is currently filming.