Why I'm leaving Downton: It's one of the biggest shows on TV, but Samantha Bond says she's had enough of playing Lady Rosamund By REBECCA HARDY (DAILY MAIL)

Samantha Bond has had it with Downton Abbey.

The actress, who plays Lord Grantham’s sister, Lady Rosamund, says she’s fed up with ‘popping in and out’. Now, given that the show has been sold all over the world and made millions for ITV, you could be forgiven for thinking some of its stars are playing hardball over their contracts – indeed there are rumours Samantha’s good friend Dame Maggie Smith is threatening to leave. What is certain is that when the third series airs this autumn, Lady Rosamund will definitely not be popping in anywhere.

Sustained career: Samantha is best known as Moneypenny from the 007 films ‘I didn’t want to do the fluttering in and out,’ she says. ‘The Christmas episode [in which Lady Rosamund, pursued by dodgy beau Lord Hepworth – played by Nigel Havers – stayed long enough to have a waltz] was lovely. If something happened to change the circumstances of the family and she was there more… But, because of the nature of the part, you just pop in and pop out so I’d have been unable to come into the West End and play the female lead in this play.’

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