Julian Fellowes doesn't come to the set, except maybe once every six weeks, for whatever reason. He's not a producer, in that sense. But if you write him a one-line question, he'll write you a three-page answer.

When you are in the eye of the storm, you are often not aware of the whiplash around you.

For the last episode [of Downton Abbey], you'll need some handkerchiefs. I needed handkerchiefs reading it. It wasn't because it necessarily moved me while reading it, but it was the experience of reading it when I realized it was the last time I was ever going to be reading one of those scripts. That was quite terminal.

At home I have a Tibetan terrier. I'm still not sure if he's a genius or very thick. It's a fine line.

I'd love to retire somewhere like Winchester, where you have one foot on the pavement but a sense of being in the country as well.

I always try to look for the best in most places.

The press mainly want to destroy a program by revealing what's coming up. For some reason, soaps like doing that.