DOWNTON ABBEY star Amy Nuttall was stunned to learn her disgraced character would return to the series – as a hooker.
Amy plays housemaid Ethel Parks, who was sacked after becoming pregnant by an Army major during the last series.
Amy — who joined the ITV period drama last year — admits she thought viewers had seen the last of the feisty single mum and her baby son Charlie.
She told TV Biz: “I was told that was it. So it was a very nice, welcome, surprise phone call that I received late last year to say that writer Julian Fellowes felt he hadn’t quite finished the storyline off.
“It was great to come back and see what else he had written for Ethel — and it was a very unexpected storyline. But actually you go, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’ Ethel probably would resort to certain ways.
“Back in those days, having a child out of wedlock was the worst thing that could happen to a young woman. You were spurned from society, by everybody.”
Downton fans saw Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton) recognise Ethel in last Sunday’s episode — the second of the current series — at a centre in York for women seeking help.
But the troubled former servant turned on her heels, saying she was not yet ready to speak to Mrs Crawley.
The storyline reflects the reality for a number of single mothers at the time, some having lost their bread-winning husbands in the First World War.
Former Emmerdale actress Amy said: “What happens to Ethel happened to thousands of women. It’s not like in this day and age, when we have the welfare state.
“It’s not unusual today to have babies out of wedlock but it leaves Ethel hugely dependent on the kindness of others.”
“Fortunately for Ethel, Mrs Crawley has stumbled across her in unlikely surroundings and she goes out of her way to help her.”
Joanne Froggatt, who plays head housemaid Anna Bates, says: “We were very excited to have Amy — and Ethel — back.”
Tonight’s episode at 9pm sees Anna make a breakthrough in her bid to free jailed husband John Bates (Brendan Coyle), while Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), is set to marry Sir Anthony Strallan (Robert Bathurst).
But there’s plenty of trouble back at the big house with downstairs Downton at war. Next week sees the arrival of handsome new footman Jimmy Kent, played by Ed Speelers, who catches the eye of the ladies — and gay valet Thomas (Rob James Collier).
Former Coronation Street star Rob says: “Thomas gets involved in something that he thinks is love. And he may be right and he may be wrong.
We see a side of Thomas that we’ve not really seen. It takes him on a really emotional journey. For the first time I think we really explore his sexuality and how that affects him during the Edwardian time.”
Rob added: “What a burden it must be keeping a secret like that, not being able to allow yourself to be who you are — because you’d be put in prison or get chastised for being against God and seen as something evil, when we know that’s not the case. But in those times, unfortunately, that’s how it was seen.”
The relationship fuels the feud between Thomas and his former ally, lady’s maid Sarah O’Brien (Siobhan Finneran) as she seizes every opportunity to get the upper hand.
Rob explained: “You see them both going at each other, claws out. It builds to a big crescendo at the end of the series. I found some of the scenes upsetting.
“O’Brien and Thomas have this one-upmanship which evolves and escalates and turns into something quite nasty, which drags other members of the downstairs fraternity into this whirlwind of malevolence.”
Things also boil over in the kitchen with next week’s arrival of new kitchen maid Ivy Stuart, played by Cara Theobold.
Cara said: “Downton Abbey was my first audition ever.
“My parents are huge fans of the show and my mum did a lot of screaming down the phone when she found out I’d got it.
“It’s been really crazy. I left drama school at Easter to start work. My first day was my first experience of being on a film set.
“To start my career on something like this is incredible.
“And I couldn’t believe that it actually is a working kitchen.
“Having been a big fan of the show myself it was really surreal to actually be there and see everyone as you see them on screen.”
Downtrodden Daisy will finally get her long-awaited promotion to assistant cook but her delight is short-lived as she sees how pretty — and popular — her replacement Ivy is. Cara explained: “Daisy isn’t very welcoming and Ivy bears the brunt of her being horrible.
“Ivy is at the bottom of the pile and Daisy is the one telling her off.”
Sophie McShera, who plays Daisy, adds: “Ivy is Daisy’s nemesis! It’s one of those things where Daisy has wished for something so long. Then it comes along and she’s really pretty and Daisy’s livid.
“Because Daisy has been treated so badly in the past, she thinks that’s how she should be with Ivy. She’s horrid in a childish way.”
Not that Sophie thinks cook Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) has been unfair to Daisy.
She says: “Mrs Patmore is very bossy. You wouldn’t mess with her but she’s not horrible. She’s like a mother to Daisy and really looks out for her.”
Sadly, the promotion doesn’t mean a long-awaited smart new kitchen outfit for Daisy.
Sophie grimaces: “I get a hat and that’s it!”
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