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Lesley Nicol

Born in 1953

Do I look like a frolicker?

Lesley Nicol admits she’s enjoying her new found celebrity status and says she gets recognized by Hollywood stars and commoners alike. Nicol is best known for playing the feisty cook Mrs. Patmore on Downton Abbey. These days, the Downton Abbey writers seem to be playing favourites – Mrs Patmore gets the lionshare of good lines, trumping the Dowager. In real life, Lesley Nicol can’t cook her way out of a cardboard box, leaving meal preparation to her husband. Nicol was flooded with invitations to appear on cooking shows after the success of Downton, but turned them all down because she’s says her cooking skills don’t measure up.

Before Downton fame, Lesley Nicol played Mrs Beaver in the 1988 BBC adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the Queen Giant in the 1990 adaptation of The Silver Chair. Lesley Nicol is best known as a stage actress in musicals like Mamma Mia, Jesus Christ Superstar and East is East. She also appeared in the 1999 film version of East is East. Lesley Nicol guest-starred on numerous British television series. In the mid 2000s, Nicol played a character called Aunt-Tea in series of commercials for Tetley tea, including one with Sex & the City star Kim Cattrall.

Downton Abbey costs an average of one million pounds per episode to produce.

As of 2013, Downton Abbey is the highest rated PBS "Masterpiece" drama series of all time, seen by an estimated 120 million viewers in 200 countries and regions.

Gillian Anderson reportedly turned down the part of Lady Cora Grantham.

The real estate that "plays" Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, has been the home of the Carnarvon family since 1679. In 1922, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, co-discovered the Tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. On the show, the names of the Earl of Grantham's beloved dogs, Isis and Pharaoh, are nods to the real castle's connection to Egyptian history.

According to Julian Fellowes, the parts played by Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Coyle and Maggie Smith were written for the actors.

It was reported that Steven Waddington auditioned for the part of Bates.

When Downton Abbey first aired, Julian Fellowes (creator and producer) was annoyed at the media for pointing out anachronisms like TV aerials and the use of the word 'boyfriend'. (The word 'boyfriend appeared in print in 1889, long before the period setting of Downton). Fellowes said "they think to show how smart they are by picking holes in the program to promote their own poshness and to show that their knowledge is greater than your knowledge". In a later article coinciding with the start of the second season, Fellowes apologised and commented "I behaved rather badly by getting the hump."

Lesley Nicol

Downton Abbey Trivia

Hunks of Downton Abbey

Extras

Shirley Maclaine Interview