Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern talk Downton on Magic Radio

Downton Stars Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern joined Harriet Scott on Magic Radio Breakfast this morning to talk about the release of Downton Abbey: A New Era.

The pair chatted about the rumours around this being Dame Maggie Smith’s last hurrah as The Dowager, why the release and premiere felt so special this time and how dedicated fans are to the show.

Speaking about Dame Maggie Smith’s return to the screen, Hugh joked: “I thought she (Violet) was going to die between films frankly, but there she is, pops up again like a bad penny and being absolutely spot on as usual… Every iteration of the show is the ‘that’s the last time, that’s it I’m done’ and there she is again so … She is on fantastic form in this and as usual has all the best lines and we don’t begrudge her those.”

When asked about his favourite character, Hugh revealed: “I don’t think I would like to do another role particularly but I do adore Mr Molesley. I think the way Kevin Doyle has developed that character over the years is just fantastic. He is stunning in this film… When the script comes along I relish to see what Julian has written for him.”

There are many serious followers of Downton Abbey and Hugh recalled one strange fan moment: “There is a fan of Mrs Hughes character, of Phyllis character, who was so besotted with Mrs Hughes the housekeeper that she got some keys, the keys that Mrs Hughes has tattooed on her hip. And when she met Phyllis she gaily showed her and Phyllis pointed out she had got the wrong hip.”

Elizabeth McGovern revealed that sometimes she questions the value of what she does, but was happy at how extra special the premiere was: “I think it is easy, especially for an actor to feel as though what you do has no value because you feel so helpless about solving the problems of the world, probably everybody alive does, but at an occasion like that I see a happy look on people’s faces and I think well this does have value its making people happy for a little while and there is something important about that. So I try to reassure myself,” she said.