'Plastic surgery makes people look weird, but I understand the temptation': Downton Abbey star Phyllis Logan takes our health quiz 

By Yvonne Swann For The Daily Mail

Published: 17:04 EST, 21 November 2016 | Updated: 20:34 EST, 21 November 2016

CAN YOU RUN UP THE STAIRS?  

I can although it may depend how steep the stairs are. My stairs at our West London house are reasonable. 

I don't have a fitness regime as such, but I would like to start doing some sort of Pilates or yoga type thing.

GET YOUR FIVE A DAY?

Just about. I do like bananas and berries with breakfast and have plenty of vegetables and salad.

Phyllis Logan, pictured at a recent press tour for the TV show Lorraine. The Downton Abbey star says she does not have a fitness regime as such, but I would like to start doing yoga

POP ANY PILLS?

Multivitamins and thyroxin pills. Not long after the birth of my son David, now aged 20, I started getting thinner and thinner. 

When I dropped to around 8 stone — tiny for my 5 ft 4 in height — I went to the doctors and discovered I had an overactive thyroid gland. 

So I went on pills to slow it down and had regular check-ups until the doctor said I was back on track. 

A few years later I was feeling a bit sluggish and tests found my thyroid was now under active and I've been on thyroxin ever since.

EVER DIETED?

Yes, a few years ago when filming Downton Abbey. My character — Mrs Hughes — didn't run about much and we had particularly nice caterers. 

I overindulged a bit too often with their wonderful puddings. I wore a tight corset for the whole six years and when it started not meeting at the back I knew it was time to act. 

So for a few weeks I did the 5:2 diet — two days fasting and five days eating normally.

I stopped the diet once my corset felt comfortable again. It would be lovely to say I am only 9 st but I'm more like ten.

Phyllis Logan (right) as Mrs Hughes in the sixth and final season of the internationally acclaimed drama series Downton Abbey

ANY VICES?

I gave up smoking a few years ago, but I do have an e-cigarette, which I use occasionally.

EVER HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY?

I'd like to say no, because it just makes people look weird, though I can understand the temptation. 

But you know it's my face and I'd be more worried about the surgery going horribly wrong. Make up is great.

ANY FAMILY AILMENTS?

My mother died at 90, but latterly she was heading in the direction of dementia and that's why there are couple of charities I like to do stuff for — Dementia UK and The Association for Dementia Studies.

Phyllis (pictured) says she got tonsilitis in her youth, and missed her first audition for drama school because of it. This picture was taken at the The film is GREAT reception in California

WORST ILLNESS?

In my youth I'd get terrible tonsillitis, and I missed my first audition for drama school because of it. 

It was pretty horrible. But I've still got my tonsils — the only thing I've had removed was a varicose vein years ago.

TRIED ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES?

For years I had psoriasis over my joints and down my legs. 

I had been prescribed various things, none of which did any good I was getting sick of it. 

A friend suggested I go to an alternative practitioner who had been a GP. 

He gave me homeopathic pills and told me to cut certain things out of my diet (I can't remember what now). 

After a few months the psoriasis disappeared and has never come back.

Phyllis Logan (far right) with fellow Downton Abbey stars (from left) Joanne Froggatt, Sophie McShera and Laura Carmichael at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles

EVER BEEN DEPRESSED?

Not long after David was born I had post baby blues. It wasn't severe, I took an antidepressant for a short period of time. 

It didn't make me want to do cartwheels round the kitchen, but it enabled me to feel a bit more like my old self.

HANGOVER CURE? 

Sleep.

LIKE TO LIVE FOREVER?

I don't think so. It's not the natural way of things is it?

Phyllis stars in The Good Karma Hospital which will air in the New Year on ITV.

 

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