Jessica Brown Findlay: Downton Abbey still feels so vivid

Jessica Brown Findlay has quipped that she was “young” and “naive” when she quit hit period drama Downton Abbey.

The actress, 30, played Lady Sybil Crawley in the first three series of the ITV show.

Asked about her decision to leave, she told Sunday Brunch: “I was young. I was naive!

“Downton was my second job. I’d always wanted to do theatre… I left with the hope of going and trying to do more things like that.”

The Harlots actress told the Channel 4 show she is still in contact with the cast.

“My nan sent me a photo recently, of me as Sybil, and I saw my face and thought, ‘I’m a baby’,” she said.

“That made it feel 10 years ago but to me it’s so vivid.”

The actress added: “I was still at art school when i joined the cast… I’d go to work with paint in my hair. I was so green.”

But she said: “It never really leaves you, an experience like that.

“It’s an amazing thing to still be in contact with everyone and have this amazing family. It’s quite rare that you get that.”