Life at Downton Abbey with Hugh Bonneville

Christmas Day isn’t complete these days without Downton Abbey on the box, and part of the fun for people in Oxfordshire is spotting extras and locations they may know.

But while Bampton – the fictional Downton village in the show – will feature in this year’s special, set during the Christmas period, there’s a new location too.

“I think audiences will really enjoy this one. It has a lovely festive element to it,” says Hugh Bonneville, who plays the show’s patriarch, Lord Grantham. He’s keen not to divulge too much, but will reveal that “a chunk of” scenes have been shot at Alnwick Castle.

“Highclere [Castle, where Downton is usually shot] is stunning to film in but frankly, Alnwick Castle is huge. That was the highlight of the year,” says the London-born 51-year-old. “Harry Potter filmed exteriors there, but I believe it’s the first time cameras have been allowed inside. The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland are huge fans, which is why they let us in.”

And they’re not the only ones. Downton’s become something of a phenomenon since it first aired in 2010. “We knew something odd was going on when, after the launch of the show, when there’s usually a bit of a dip, the viewing figures went up. I’d never known that to happen and it just grew and grew because the word of mouth was so strong.”

But it was a playground encounter that really brought the breadth of its popularity home to Bonneville. “A kid in my son’s school came up to me,” he recalls. “He was about nine and said, ‘I don’t like what that Thomas [Downton’s conniving footman] is doing’. I’d never, in a million years, thought it would appeal to those that young, but kids and grandparents are watching it together.”

The actor has been working for more than 20 years now, popping up as lovable buffoons in the romcom Notting Hill and period adaptation Mansfield Park, but it’s Downton that’s really made him a household name.

“I feel like a very lucky actor to be in a show that people love and continues to grow around the world,” he says. “It’s something I love doing, and the people involved are a fantastic team. I said to our producer not so long ago, that it’s extraordinary to think that five years on, we’re not punching each other!”

Series six has already been commissioned, but Bonneville is aware that it can’t run indefinitely. “It’s a unique show, in that it feels so big in scale, but it comes down to one person’s imagination; [writer and producer] Julian Fellowes.

“It’s really him, and he’ll know when it’s time to tie-up all the loose ends and put it to bed,” adds Bonneville.

It has been a busy year for Bonneville. As well as reprising his role as the bumbling Ian Fletcher in W1A, Hollywood called with a role alongside George Clooney in war movie The Monuments Men, not that he's complaining about the shortage of time off (“I love the fact there’s that variety”). And of course, he also filmed Paddington, which was released in November.

“It was the script, as always,” he says when asked what attracted him to the role of Mr Brown, the father of the family who takes in the young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British.

“Paddington’s such a vivid character for so many people of a certain generation, and within a page, I was laughing out loud and reminded of the charming innocence and warmth [author] Michael Bond put on the page. It was a no-brainer to be part of the film.”

Downton Abbey will air on ITV at 9pm on Christmas Day

CLOONEY JOINS THE DOWNTON CAST

Downton gets a special guest appearance tonight when George Clooney stars in a sketch for ITV’s fourth Text Santa appeal.

Clooney will be ruffling some feathers and apparently wooing the Dowager. Blimey.

As well as Clooney’s Downton dalliance, there’s plenty more in store.

Six different charities are chosen every year to receive an equal amount of the funds. This year’s proceeds will be divvied up between Teenage Cancer Trust, Guide Dogs, WellChild, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Alzheimer’s Society and Together for Short Lives.

So far, good-hearted Brits have donated a £15m for Text Santa.

Like previous years, Text Santa 2014 will be presented by a team of famous faces. Ant and Dec will kick off proceedings, followed by Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley, rounded off with Paddy McGuinness and Alesha Dixon, for what McGuinness calls the “naughty hour”.

Some of the highlights are:

ABBEY CHRISTMAS!

Along with Clooney, Joanna Lumley and Mr Selfridge himself, Jeremy Piven, are also popping along to the Crawleys’ manor for the specially recorded mini episode. Laura Carmichael, who plays poor old Lady Edith, let slip on This Morning that the Dowager, her character’s granny, has a smooch with Clooney.

TUCK IN

Cheeky chappies Ant and Dec are planning a one-off “yuletucker” I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! style trial for one unlucky celeb.

To “help” the star along, ex-jungle contestants Helen Flanagan, Jenny Eclair, Kerry Katona, Pat Sharp, David Van Day and Katie Price will serenade them with a specially composed song.

X-TRA SPECIAL

While Cheryl Cole, as she was known then (before getting hitched and becoming Cheryl Fernandez-Versini), made a special appearance in Corrie for the 2013 Text Santa appeal, this year, the pop star’s X Factor friend Mel B pops up in Weatherfield. ITV have also promised to show the stars of Corrie in a new light (let’s hope that doesn’t mean a nudey Norris), and have planned a special message from the Emmerdale cast. There’ll also be music from X Factor winner Ben Haenow and Olly Murs, and special versions of Birds Of A Feather and The Cube.

Text Santa is on ITV from 8pm tonight

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