Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan has moved away from her role as Mrs Hughes to star in the cosy crime series Murder Most Puzzling on Channel 5.
Phyllis Logan is currently starring in the cosy crime drama Murder Most Puzzling, based on the book series The Puzzle Lady by author Parnell Hall.
The three-part series premiered on Channel 5 last week, seeing Scottish talent Phyllis Logan embody crossword fanatic Cora Felton.
Relocating to Bakerbury with her niece, Cora quickly begins to utilise her knack for problem-solving by helping local police with their inquiries.
With the series unfolding, here’s an insight into the life of Phyllis Logan.
Early life
Born in 1956 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Logan grew up as the youngest sibling among two others, Cameron and Ann.
Raised by her mother Betty and father David, who was both a Rolls-Royce engineer and trade unionist, Logan’s early passion for performance shone through school plays and a local film club.
Reflecting on her background, Logan shared with Spokesman: “Because I came from a small town outside Glasgow, nobody from my school had ever gone into the acting profession.
“It was just something you didn’t do.”
Tragic loss
Her aspirations led her to a successful audition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, nowadays called the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Tragically, when Logan was just 20-years-old, her father passed away at 59, never witnessing her flourish in her acting career.
Speaking to The Guardian, she recounted the harrowing time: “He was in intensive care and on a life-support machine for several months; it was horrible.”
In a 2013 interview with Spokesman, Logan reflected: “Sadly my father died before I graduated so he didn’t see any of the success at all.
“And my mum, bless her, who just died two years ago, she was very happy. I think she was proud of me.”
Famous husband
Logan, whose acting credits include Lovejoy, Secrets and Lies, and Another Time, Another Place, met her future husband, actor Kevin McNally, while filming the 1994 mini-series Love And Reason.
McNally has recently appeared in Miss Austen and Apartment 7A, but audiences widely recognise him as Joshamee Gibbs from the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
The couple, who married in 2011 and had their son David in 1996, have shared their journey together, with Logan admitting she never planned to date another actor.
She revealed to The Guardian her initial reservations about actors: “I thought they were vain.
“I always used to say that I would never have one in my house – but you can’t legislate for love.”
Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey, the iconic ITV drama, captivated viewers for six seasons as it unravelled the lives of the Crawley family and their servants until its conclusion in 2015.
The beloved series then grew into a film franchise, with the first movie premiering in 2019 and the sequel, titled New Era, following in 2022.
Fans can now look forward to the trilogy’s culmination with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, set to grace cinemas on September 12, 2025.
While many of her fans are bracing themselves for what is anticipated to be an emotional farewell, Phyllis Logan revealed to Radio Times that she won’t be shedding tears when the time comes.
Logan remarked: “No, because it’s probably – no, definitely – time to hang up our Downton keys and say goodbye.
“I did love playing that character, so it’s sad in a way that I won’t be getting into that wig again and putting that chatelaine on..”
What’s next
As well as Murder Most Puzzling, the 69-year-old has another head-scratching series in the works.
According to her IMDb page, Logan is going to star in A Taste For Murder which is currently in production.
The synopsis reads: “[A Taste For Murder] follows DCI Joe Mottram, a star detective with the Metropolitan police who, after a personal tragedy, retreats to Capri in Italy with his daughter to stay with his Italian in-laws for the summer.”
Logan, who will play Elena Da Vinale, will star alongside Luther’s Warren Brown, The Crown’s Beau Gadson and Gomorrah actress Cristiana Dell’Anna.
