Downton Abbey heart-throb Dan Stevens says the toughest part of the job is keeping the plot a secret at home.

"Trying to keep the scripts from my wife is the biggest challenge," admitted the actor.

His South African wife – Harriet Susie – follows the show with anticipation each week.

Harriet along with the rest of the public will have to wait until Christmas Day to see what happens next in his relationship with Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery.

Dan, who plays the heir to the family fortune Matthew Crawley, admitted he enjoyed teasing viewers with the latest twist in his character's love life.

He also said he was "amazed" at the international appeal of the hit ITV1 country house show, but laughed off questions about his legion of female admirers.

"The female attention I have to struggle hardest with is my two-year-old daughter.

"She's just entered the terrible twos so that's my biggest challenge at the moment."

See pics from Downton's Christmas special

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