Downton’s Daisy Lewis likes shaking things up

The Downton Abbey actress also says being more like her feisty character could have saved a pal from school bullying.

Daisy’s schoolteacher Sarah Bunting is shaking things up in the new series with her outspoken views.

But confident and bubbly as she is when we catch up for a chat, Daisy says she’s not as forthright in reality.

“In many ways I wish I was more like her,” confesses Daisy.

“There are a lot of times in my life where I’ve seen things I believed to be wrong and have been frightened to say something.

“I remember one specific incident from school. There was some pretty horrible bullying going on with a kid in my class. She was my friend and I didn’t stop the bully.

“I admire the fact that Sarah says things, even if it does upset some people.”

Last week’s opener saw tetchy exchanges between Lord Grantham, suspicious of the changes that may come from Britain’s first Labour Government in 1924, and Sarah’s campaigning teacher.

“This is a woman who has been through the First World War,” says Daisy. “She’s been shown the world then been closed off from that and told to go quietly back into her box.

“Some people think she’s awful, ghastly, a bit bolshie and an upstart, while other people are inspired by her.”

Sarah starts to educate kitchen maid Daisy who is keen to better herself, yet another thing that doesn’t go down well with his Lordship.

“In order to continue living the way he does, he doesn’t want to see social change,” explains Daisy. “If you start educating the servants you’re going to open their eyes to things and they’re going to want to better themselves and move on.”

Daisy, who has dabbled in various careers including journalism, has appeared in Doctor Who and Lewis. But landing a regular part in a global phenomenon like Downton Abbey was something else altogether.

“It was terrifying,” says Daisy, who reveals there were a few reassuring phone calls from her mum required. “There are huge worries for anyone starting a new job.

“With this show in particular, though, you feel as if you have been asked to represent your country at the Olympics of acting.

“There’s a lot of pressure and 120 million pairs of eyes watching you, especially when you’re playing this sort of divisive part.

“She’s a Marmite character in a lot of ways.”