After World War II, the major estates really did collapse.

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

I think any film that asks its audience a degree of tolerance and acceptance of those less fortunate than themselves isn't a bad thing from whatever culture you're in or from whatever part of any political spectrum.

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

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 Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.