Brit hit period drama Downton Abbey has millions of fans on this side of the pond, but few are as influential as First Lady Michelle Obama, who demonstrated her extreme fandom by giving the show’s cast a private tour of the White House late last year.
In a recent interview on Scottish TV, actor Jim Carter (who plays stern-but-kindly butler Mr. Carson) revealed that the visit to the White House was co-ordinated by the First Lady, whom he describes as a huge fan of the show.
“We were in America in December 2012 after going to a reception of the American ambassador’s residence in Washington, and we had a private tour of the White House that Michelle Obama had arranged with her housekeeper, which is not too shabby,” said Carter.
In the interview, Carter also shoots down earlier rumours that The Rolling Stones were considering guest starring on the show, although he does admit that the prospect of having the Stones on Downton Abbey “wouldn’t be too bad, would it?”; After joking about whether Mick Jagger would get a haircut for the show, Carter also wonders what kind of roles the band members could take on. “What about Keith Richards?”; he says. “He could play the gnarled old under-gardener, I suppose.”;
The fourth season of Downton Abbey just premiered in the U.K., but won’t air in North American until January 2014.