Rob James Collier talks playing Thomas and Downton Abbey Christmas special!
читать дальшеRob James Collier – who has of course previously starred in Coronation Street as Liam Connor – has been talking to the Sun’s TV Biz about what his Downton character Thomas Barrow is to get up to in the show’s Christmas special.
As fans will know, Thomas is only at Downton as a grace and favour courtesy, since his official role of medic there ended with the war. But it seems that he’s about to find himself in a very precarious position within the household over Christmas…
The storyline begins when Thomas, who’s now relegated to the role of footman – and even that’s only temporary – wants to make sure Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) keeps him on at the house, so he comes up with a plan to ‘kidnap’ his Lordship’s dog, and then later, be hailed a hero when he reunites master and pooch.
Of that plotline, Rob said, “I’ve been getting loads of stick for what he does to the dog.
“But a shed is bigger than a kennel. There was straw in there. It’s not like I kicked him in…
“But it’s what you do in desperation. Thomas has lost everything on the black market, he’s doing what he can to get where he wants to go.
“He’s misunderstood!”
Misunderstood he may be, but he shouldn’t underestimate Lord Grantham, or his mother, the Dowager Duchess (Maggie Smith).
In the Christmas special, we’ll see the upstairs gentry mingling with the servants on Christmas Day, and Thomas will get to dance with the Dowager, but apparently, rehearsals for the dance scenes didn’t go too well!
Of them, Rob said, “I stood on her [Maggie Smith’s] toe and got the death-ray glare but I got through it. It was extremely nerve-racking.
“Due to the fact I was having a ‘Thomas haircut’ that day, I missed the first 30 minutes of rehearsals and found that I couldn’t keep up.
“I have two left feet and cannot waltz or indeed dance for toffee.
“But we had a laugh and she was so great. I think she humoured me and my two left feet.
“I suggested we do the lift from Dirty Dancing but she wasn’t convinced I had the upper-body strength.”
And of what lies ahead for Thomas in series three, Rob said, “Whatever come along, we’ll see what happens.
“Becoming a valet would be all right since he’s been going on about it for more than two series.”
The two-hour long Downton Abbey special, which is set in Christmas 1919, airs on ITV1 at 9pm on Christmas Day.
primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/rob-james-collier-t...