Downton Abbey finale attracts 8.4 million

Downton Abbey has been a hit with audiences around the world

The final episode of Downton Abbey was watched by an average of 8.4 million viewers, overnight figures show.

Viewing peaked at 9.2 million at the start of the extended 95-minute episode at 21:00 GMT, with 8.5 million seeing it through to the end.

Although billed as the final episode, there will be a Christmas special which fans hope will tie up some loose ends before the drama officially ends.

The series, which first began in 2010, has been a hit around the world.

Although ratings had fallen over the course of the sixth series, Sunday night's episode was the highest viewed since November 2013.

Critics generally praised the finale, with The Guardian's Sam Wollaston saying "farewell to a pretty splendid posh soap opera".

"This [episode] is rammed to the ramparts with excitement and (melo)drama. Television will be a dowdier place without it," he said.

The Telegraph's Allison Pearson added: "Thankfully, the finale, which came at the end of a dull series, was an absolute corker. That trademark recipe of low comedy and high melodrama was served up on a silver salver."

Some critics complained about the final episode, hoping for loose ends to be tied up in the Christmas special

However other critics were left unsatisfied, complaining of loose ends.

The Daily Express's Neela Debnath said it felt like "there's still so much left unresolved".

"It feels as if [creator Julian Fellowes] had so many more plans for Downton but has had to cut it short and cram all of his ideas into this one episode. The result is far from the satisfying ending that Downton aficionados were hoping for," she said.

"Perhaps the real finale will be delivered at Christmas and leave us begging for another series of our favourite Sunday night period drama. But tonight falls short of the mark."

Meanwhile, The Huffington Post's Caroline Frost described the episode as a "misjudged finale".

"This finale, and sixth series as a whole, has most certainly proved the wisdom of Lord Fellowes' decision to put his pen down and consign the residents of this gothic pile to their colourful but ultimately inconsequential history," she said.