I've had people come up to me in the past and say they enjoyed whatever show I've been in.

We were all expecting to finish [Downton Abbey] after Series 1, actually. And then, it got extended to Series 3, and that's when two of our much loved and much missed friends left. And then, it was going to be done with Series 5, but Julian Fellowes said, "I'd like to do one more." So it's been a series of extensions, rather than wondering how much longer we can go on for.

In the age of the camera phone it's a bit weird when you're sitting having dinner in a restaurant and people think they're being very subtle taking a photo while in fact they're being very obvious. When you're in a middle of a mouthful with friends or family and people come up asking for a photograph, that's when you want to say, 'Actually, I'm going to say no; I'd like to finish my meal. This is my time.'

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

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

I certainly couldn't run a big country house, nor could I organize the greatest show on earth.

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.