‘Downton Abbey’ star opens up about his relationship with co-star

The romance wasn’t just happening on screen in Downton Abbey!

Downton stars Laura Carmichael and Michael Fox have been in a relationship in real life for several years now.

The pair played Lady Edith Crawley and footman Andy Parker in ITV’s hit period drama series and they both reprised their roles in 2019’s hugely successful movie.

Despite openly being a couple since 2016, Carmichael and Fox have kept fairly private about their romance.

Fox told The Sunday Post: “We try not to talk about it too much outside of our personal lives. And that was the same on set. It was just professional.”

Recalling what it was like dating while working together, Fox said: “We’d go to work and we didn’t want it to be a thing in any way when we were working together.”

He added: “It was great, though, to go to work with your best pal. Apart from that we like to keep it quite separate from Downton.”

The 31-year-old English actor explained: “The fact we met on set is not a big part of our relationship.”

Michael Fox only joined Downton Abbey in 2014, whereas Laura Carmichael has been a main cast member since the very first episode.

Discussing his original audition, Fox remembered: “I had to wait for a couple of weeks as they were deciding between a few other actors.

“Every other day I was getting a call from my agent saying they were down to five, four, three people. I thought it had gone away then I got a call when I was sitting in the garden at home.”

It’s safe to say that Michael Fox and Laura Carmichael must both be especially glad he got that call!

Plans are currently underway on a second Downton movie.

The Downton Abbey movie is available on DVD on Amazon.