DOWNSTAIRS NO MORE: ‘IF THINGS SCARE YOU THEY'RE WORTH DOING'

DOWNTON ABBEY AND LIAR STAR JOANNE FROGGATT ON HER PLANS TO ACT UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIES AND WHY FACING YOUR FEARS IS A GOOD THING

- ALAN TANNER

From the Coronation Street cobbles to Hollywood boulevard, Joanne Froggatt is a dramatic jet setter.

The actress’s roles in Corrie, Bad Girls and Robin Hood had already cemented her as a household name in the UK. But it was her turn as Downton Abbey’s Anna that propelled her to international stardom and won her a Golden Globe.

But while her professional life was going from strength to strength, back in February, the actress revealed she and her husband of eight years, James Cannon, had separated. The pair, who share their own production company, Run After It, remain amicable and plan to continue working together. At the time of the split, Joanne explained she was “looking to the future”. She also shared her views on motherhood, reflecting, “If it happens, it happens. And if it doesn’t, I hope I’ll still feel I can live a happy and fulfilled life.”

Her global success means she splits her time between Los Angeles and Buckinghamshire, where she is in lockdown. While Joanne has been using the time to enjoy walks in the country, for many, quarantine has proved the perfect opportunity to binge watch her in series two of thriller Liar, which follows a date rape investigation.

Here, Joanne opens up about being humbled by the stories of survivors of sexual assault and why she loves a challenge…