Hugh Bonneville has talked about the excitement on set at Downton Abbey in anticipation of a royal visit from the Duchess of Cambridge.

The star of the ITV period drama, who plays Lord Grantham, was collecting the HD Drama Programme of the Year award for Downton at the Tric Awards today when he spoke about the special guest that was coming to meet the cast.

He said: “We’re all very excited. Mrs Patmore is baking a cake and we’re all bringing in sandwiches. It’s going to be a show and tell day.”

Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Bonneville with Downton Abbey’s Tric Award (Ian West/PA)

Hugh added of the programme’s win at the awards ceremony in London: “It’s very lovely to be given this award. It was the very first award that Downton won when we were a little unknown show and so it’s lovely that they’ve given us a pat on the back five years on.”

Dame Maggie Smith, who stars in Downton Abbey as the Dowager Countess, was recently quoted as having said that the programme couldn’t go on much longer, but Hugh reckoned her words may have been twisted.

He explained: “I think that’s been widely misquoted. What she actually said was, ‘I must be about 110 in the show and I can’t possibly go on’.

“I know the feeling. But we’re back filming the sixth series now and we’re about a month in and it’s ticking along nicely. No one’s fallen over yet.”

Siddiqui family
The Siddiquis with the Gogglebox Tric Award (Ian West/PA)

Gogglebox was another of the winners at the awards, picking up entertainment programme with star Sid Siddiqui collecting the trophy.

Jokingly, he said of his category competition: “Up yours Ant and Dec!”

He later explained: “We thought Ant and Dec would win. They’re gods, aren’t they, really? Or Graham Norton – he’s my favourite really.”