Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery has insisted her character in the show Lady Mary Crawley is complex, and does have a human side to her.

But Michelle admitted she is pleased that Mary has got nasty again as she loves filming her put downs to sister Lady Edith, played by Laura Carmichael.

Michelle told What's On TV: "While they were grieving for Matthew and Sybil, they were civil, but now Mary has her wit and spark back, they're in full flow again. Laura and I get excited about those scenes where we spit at each other. It's hilarious and hard to keep a straight face being mean to one of your best mates."

But the actress think viewers love Mary because they can see beneath the coldness.

She said: "She began the show as a spoiled aristocrat and then the incident happened with the Turkish diplomat and the audience suddenly saw a vulnerable side to her that wasn't expected. She can be unkind, but she is complex, human and she makes mistakes. She is resilient too and I love that she lives in the moment."

Downton Abbey continues on ITV on Sundays at 9pm.