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Downton Abbey actor Rob James Collier lost sleep over 'harrowing' homosexuality storyline

Series five of the hit ITV period drama starts on Sunday 21 September

Jenn Selby
Tuesday 16 September 2014 16:59 BST
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Rob James-Collier, who plays under-butler Thomas Barrow, admitted to suffering sleepless nights over the Series 5 script
Rob James-Collier, who plays under-butler Thomas Barrow, admitted to suffering sleepless nights over the Series 5 script

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Fans of Downton Abbey can expect the series to take a dark turn, thanks to a “harrowing” new storyline centred around Thomas Barrow.

Rob James-Collier, who plays the sometimes sinister under-butler, admitted that he has been suffering sleepless nights over the script, which sees his character question – and try desperately to change – his sexuality.

“There are mornings of those scenes when you haven’t been able to sleep at night because you are so worried about how it will go,” James-Collier told the Daily Mail.

“Thomas comes right up to the abyss.”

“It’s quite a harrowing storyline and I hope it is. Because if it isn’t, I haven’t done it justice.”

His quotes come just days after Hugh Bonneville – who plays Robert, Earl of Grantham in the show – said he believed the show could have another five years left to run.

Alan Leech (Tom Branson) and Rob James-Collier (Tom Barrow) on the set of Downton Abbey in August 2014
Alan Leech (Tom Branson) and Rob James-Collier (Tom Barrow) on the set of Downton Abbey in August 2014

“This is all written by one person and there’s only so much one person can do,” he said.

“There will be an end. (Executive producer) Gareth Neame has said he reckons it will run between five and ten years, so we’ve made it to halfway.

“I think there will be natural end and I’m sure Julian will want to quit while he’s ahead.”

Fellowes himself has said that “the most important thing is to make sure Downton is well-formed, comes to an end at the right time, and is not lured into the usual thing of trying to keep something going past its time”.

Series five of the hit ITV period drama starts on Sunday 21 September.

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