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Downton Abbey star Thomas Howes was thrilled when he picked up his script for the second series and found a note on the back from writer Julian Fellowes, saying, `To Thomas, the nicest of all of us.'

16 October 2011 00:00 GMT

Downton Abbey star Thomas Howes was thrilled when he picked up his script for the second series and found a note on the back from writer Julian Fellowes, saying, `To Thomas, the nicest of all of us.'
Thomas plays second footman William Mason in the period drama.

He admitted that he was initially he was nervous about acting alongside such greats as Dame Maggie Smith.

Thomas Howes says there are 'no divas' on the Downton Abbey set

He told the Daily Mail. "I was so nervous working with Maggie to start with, but she broke the ice immediately.

"We were filming a scene in which I was serving in between her and somebody else and there was a problem with a camera which meant that for continuity purposes I had to freeze in position with my arm out holding a soup bowl. Suddenly she was stroking me.

"`Oh love, put that down', she said and had the shot stopped so I could rest my arm. She's actually a pussycat." Discussing Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lord Grantham, Thomas said: "During filming I'll occasionally corpse a fellow cast member.

"One day Hugh did the same to me. We were filming a dining room scene where for a moment a camera was on me and most other people but not Hugh.

"I had to stand still with my arm out, so Hugh created a rabbit out of his napkin and let it gently graze along the edge of the table and then start nibbling its way up my arm."

He added: "We're always giggling. Our unofficial theme tune on set was, `When you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go: DownTON' - even Maggie joined in with it.

"There are so many greats in the cast but they're not at all diva-ish. It's like being in a family. We've spent eight months together over the past two years, sleeping together, eating together."