Hugh Bonneville has said there will be a second Downton Abbey film when everyone offered a vaccine takes the jab, as he confirmed he has already seen a script for a sequel.
The actor, 57, who has been volunteering as a marshal at his local vaccination centre, has already had his first dose.
He told BBC Radio 2’s The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show: “I’ve been volunteering down my way in West Sussex over the last year doing bits and bobs and then joined the vaccination team a few weeks ago, only to discover we were to be offered a jab as we are client-facing, so to speak, seeing hundreds of people a day.
Midhurst’s Riverbank Medical Centre started vaccinating last week. Today Midhurst Pharmacy, led by Raj Rohilla, joined the rollout in north West Sussex. #vaccine #jabtastic pic.twitter.com/2NH2GFdnD5
— Hugh Bonneville (@hughbon) January 29, 2021
“I took the jab, along with dozens of others in my volunteer group and thousands of others who are volunteering around the country and are very grateful for it.
“I realise that has caused some controversy because I’m younger than others, but I’m older than others too and I hope I’m just doing my bit and that is the main thing, that we are all on the path to getting a jab and I urge everyone who is listening to take it when they are offered it.”
1️⃣ With former nurse Jo Wiltshire (left), Raj and retired GPs Andrew Douglas & Madelaine Litchfield (who gave me my AstraZeneca jab).
2️⃣ Delighted to be part of the support team as a volunteer marshall. I get to wear hi viz and everything.#vaccine #jabtastic pic.twitter.com/JfmB8BcuRO
— Hugh Bonneville (@hughbon) January 29, 2021
Asked about the prospect of a second Downton Abbey movie, and told Jim Carter has claimed he has already seen a script, Bonneville said: “I’m going to have to get round to Jim Carter’s house straight away because there is something going on that I haven’t been told about!
“Have I been written out?
“I too have seen a script.
“Here’s the deal, if everybody who is offered a vaccine takes a vaccine, we can make a movie, we will make a movie.
“It’s the usual thing, the planets are circling, they are beginning to get into alignment.
“There is a thing called coronavirus knocking around and until that is under control in a sensible way we are not going to be able to get all those ducks in a row, mixing my metaphors here.
“But there is certainly the intention to do it, we would love to do it, we are desperate to do it, and I think it’s the sort of pleasurable release of a movie like the first one was, that audiences would enjoy after all of this mess we have been through.”