Downton Abbey icon Phyllis Logan knows exactly what roles she wants: “No staid old ladies, thank you!”

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What’s the view from your sofa?

It all depends on which sofa you’re sitting on. One offers a clear view of the television, while the other looks out through the house, past the patio doors, and into our garden – what I like to call our “sit-oot-erie” because it’s a perfect spot to relax outside.

Do you like being outside?

Yes, I do enjoy gardening. I used to have a much larger garden when I lived in north London, and I spent more time on it then. This current garden is smaller and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance – mostly just sweeping.

In your novel, A Taste for Murder, Elena co-owns a restaurant in Capri with her husband – he’s the chef, and she manages the customer-facing side of things. Are you as naturally welcoming and good with people as Elena is in real life?

I’m not sure if she’s the best hostess ever, but I used to host a lot of events and really enjoyed it. Elena is naturally friendly and makes everyone feel welcome – she’s been married to an Italian man for forty years and has really embraced that warm, hospitable culture. However, beneath her cheerful exterior, she’s dealing with a lot of pain, having recently lost her daughter. She’s also raising her granddaughter and trying to support her son-in-law, even though they cope with grief in different ways. I found her complexity and strength really captivating.

Why did you become an actor?

My school had a really active performing arts scene – a drama club, a theatre group, and even monthly film nights. I was involved in everything, but I never thought about acting as a possible job until a friend suggested drama school. The careers advisor told me I needed good grades – four Highers, which are similar to A-Levels – to even be considered, and I didn’t think I’d achieve them. But he was wrong! I applied anyway, got accepted to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), and that’s how I ended up here.

Have you ever been out of work?

Shortly after my son was born, I struggled financially, but thankfully it wasn’t severe enough to force me into desperate measures.

I might even have “done Taggart twice”.

You starred as Lady Jane Felsham in the popular TV series Lovejoy with Ian McShane in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The show attracted over 10 million viewers. Did that feel like being a celebrity at the time?

Absolutely not! I was asked to appear on the Wogan show with Ian, and I couldn’t understand why. It didn’t go well at all – I was completely frozen with nerves while Ian was naturally charming and entertaining. Despite that, it was a great job, and I still get recognized sometimes – often by men in their 40s who tell me they had a crush on me back then.

Learn anything about antiques?

As viewers of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip will recall, I’m not very knowledgeable about antiques. I definitely made some poor choices while filming the show.

You must also get recognised from Downton?

It’s funny, actually. When I’m out with Jim Carter and Lesley Nicol, people often photograph them and completely overlook me. I don’t get recognized! I think it’s all down to Mrs. Hughes’s wig – I either blame it or thank it for the anonymity.

Did Downton change your life?

Afterward, I kept getting offered roles as housekeepers, which I turned down. I started looking for different kinds of parts. I’m at the age where I could play grandmothers now, but I’m hoping for roles that are a little more exciting – grandmothers with some personality, or maybe even a hidden, dark side. I’m not interested in playing the typical, quiet old lady!

A Taste for Murder airs Wednesdays at 9pm on ITV1, with all episodes available now on ITVX.

Authors

Gareth McLean

I’ve been following Gareth McLean’s work for years – the guy’s a true TV veteran! He’s been writing about television for almost three decades, and I mean really writing about it. He’s reviewed what feels like every show out there, and as a feature writer, he’s chatted with everyone from huge stars like Liza Minnelli to, well, a lot of other people – even some controversial figures like Jimmy Savile. And it’s not just criticism; he’s actually written for TV too, which gives him a really unique perspective.

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2026-05-11 20:08