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Simon Callow wants Downton Abbey role


Simon Callow wants to star in ‘Downton Abbey’.

The ‘Four Weddings and Funeral’ actor is eager to land a role in the period drama because he loves the ITV show.

The 65-year-old star is happy to appear in the series – which also stars Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Laure Carmichael, Maggie Smith and Joanne Froggat – as part of the upper class Crawley family or their team of servants.

He told The Sun newspaper: "I’d love to be in ‘Downton…’ You might have thought they’d find some lowly role for me to play above or below stairs."

Simon also revealed a long-standing ambition to play a TV detective but admitted he is yet to be given the chance by producers.

He explained: "I long to play a TV detective! I’ve been saying this to producers for 50 years but nobody pays me the slightest bit of attention."

The ‘Shakespeare in Love’ star currently plays the scheming politician, Victor, in ITV’s ‘Plebs’ and insists the "deeply funny" show is nothing like the late 60s and early 70s ancient Greece-set comedy series ‘Up Pompeii!.

He said: "It’s as far from ‘Up Pompeii!’ as you could possibly want to go and yet its deeply, deeply funny.

"I suppose the basic idea is that it’s just Essex lads in ancient Rome. It’s an inspired idea."