Inside Phyllis Logan's life from famous husband to saying goodbye to Downton Abbey

Phyllis Logan has moved away from her days as Downton Abbey's Mrs Hughes to star in her own cosy crime drama.

Murder Most Puzzling made its debut on Channel 5 last week with Scottish actress Phyllis Logan taking on the role of crossword fanatic Cora.

After moving to the market town of Bakerbury with her niece, it isn't too long before she starts putting her problem solving skills to the test, assisting the police with their investigations.

As Murder Most Puzzling continues, let's take a look at what there is to know about actress Logan.

Logan was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire in 1956 and was the youngest of three children, with a brother called Cameron and a sister named Ann.

Her mum was called Betty and her dad David worked as a Rolls-Royce engineer and trade leader.

She had taken part in school plays and joined the film club but Logan didn't think about pursuing it as a career until a friend suggested taking it further.

Logan told 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."

After a successful audition, Logan got her place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, now known as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Unfortunately, when she was just 20-years-old, her father died at the age of 59, and so didn't see her thrive as an actress.

Talking to The Guardian, she said: "He was in intensive care and on a life-support machine for several months; it was horrible."

Logan also shared with Spokesman in 2013: "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."

Logan, who has starred in Lovejoy, Secrets and Lies and Another Time, Another Place, met her husband actor Kevin McNally on the set of the 1994 mini-series Love And Reason.

In recent years, McNally has been in Miss Austen and Apartment 7A but is best known for playing Joshamee Gibbs in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

After tying the knot in 2011 and welcoming their son David in 1996, Logan admitted that she initially didn't want to date another actor.

She confessed to The Guardian. "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."

The unforgettable ITV drama Downton Abbey ran for six successful seasons, telling the story of the Crawley family and their staff, before it came to an end in 2015.

The franchise then expanded further with two films, the first released in 2019 and the second, entitled New Era, in 2022.

Now, the third and final film, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, is on the way, debuting in cinemas on September 12, 2025.

While fans are gearing up for what is expected to be a tearful end, Logan admitted to Radio Times that she wouldn't be getting emotional when it does come out.

She commented: "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..."

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.

Murder Most Puzzling continues every Thursday at 8pm on Channel 5.