Former Hotel Babylon and Emmerdale actress, Amy Nuttall has spent her first day on the set of ITV1’s Downton Abbey after joining the cast as new housemaid Ethel.
Highclere Castle is the impressive location for Downton Abbey and Amy was taken aback when she saw the house for the first time.
“When I glimpsed Highclere Castle for the first time it was breathtakingly amazing,’ she says.
“It’s even more gorgeous and beautiful in person. It’s so big but the cameras make it look bigger still.”
Amy shared her first scenes for the new series of Downton Abbey with Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan), Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham played by Maggie Smith.
Amy said: "I was in the first scene of the first day of the shoot and I was working with Dame Maggie Smith!
“I plumped a few cushions, said a few lines with the lovely Jo Froggatt and Phyllis Logan and then I had to curtsy when Violet came in.”
Nuttall admits that although the scene was fairly brief, she was still nervous:“It was Ethel’s first day, as well as mine, so I could show my nerves - it’s allowed.”
With first day nerves looming Amy had a sleepless night before her early morning call for Downton.
"I had one of those sleeps where I felt I hadn’t slept all night. I was very conscious of sleeping through my alarms - I had three set! I couldn’t be late on my first day."
With her scene complete, Nuttall can’t wait for her next day on the set, she added: "I’m raring to go, really want to do more now."
Downton Abbey will be back on ITV1 screens this Autumn.
DianneMann, US around 8 months, 2 weeks ago