Actor Rob James-Collier has said that he is enjoying the chance to play a more likeable character in his new TV show after his darker role in Downton Abbey. Rob - who also played Liam Connor in Coronation Street - has won himself a devoted following as gay footman Thomas in the hit period drama - but in his new show Love Life he has undergone a change of pace as a builder who returns from travelling to discover his ex-girlfriend is pregnant. And he admitted that it was a change of pace from filming Downton. "It was weird because for the last year-and-a-half I've been schooled to keep my hands down by my side," he said. "You have to completely neutralise your body language for Downton and it's all very much from the eyes. So when it comes to doing something contemporary, the shackles are off and you're free to express yourself. "It was also nice to show something completely different from the dark character I play in Downton." Rob added that while he has been offered similarly dark roles, he is keen for him to avoid typecasting. However he remained non-committal when it came to revealing what was in store for Thomas in Downton's next series. "He's definitely the same old guy, maybe he gets involved in a little bit of a relationship, but we'll have to wait and see. I want to talk about it, but Julian Fellowes will knock on my door and say 'What are you doing spoiling storylines?' he said. "Particularly the one about the flying saucer coming to Downton, I can't give that one away - it's a pearl of a story."
