Moisturiser, Radio 4, Spaghetti Bolognese: Five things Phyliss Logan can't live without

1 MY BOYS

Like most people, I probably value family and friends above anything else and I would not want to be without my leading men.

Kevin and I have been together for 20 years now and although we're both actors we are very different characters. I am by nature a worrier whereas Kevin is laid back and he really helps me to calm down.

We were both relieved when David announced a couple of years ago that he didn't want to be an actor. Now though he has set his heart on becoming a musician, which is an equally precarious profession. But he is talented and determined and we will support him every step of the way.

2 TEAPOT

There is nothing quite like a freshly brewed pot of tea to get you going in the morning.

When I am filming Downton, I often have to be in the studio by 6.30am and wouldn't be able to function without my tea fix first.

Normally I will have five or six cups of tea a day and if I can have them poured from a teapot then all the better. I think tea tastes so much nicer from a pot.

I love playing Mrs Hughes but I am very glad to be able to walk away from her life at the end of a day of filming.

Domestic staff worked so hard back then and I'm not sure how she kept going. Then again, her character is incredibly organised and if you watch closely she doesn't ever seem to get her hands dirty. She is an absolute expert in delegation.

3 RADIO 4

I am not much of a TV addict and if I have a day off and I'm pottering around at home, I will always listen to Radio 4.

I love Woman's Hour and Moral Maze and the Radio 4news.

Current affairs programmes are second to none.

Some of the shows are a little high-brow for me though, such as Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time. I enjoy listening but I am never entirely sure what is going on.

4 MOISTURISER

If I don't wear moisturiser my skin gets very tight and crinkly and I don't feel my best.

I'm not particularly precious about pampering myself and I can't be bothered with the whole exfoliating and toning routine. I am just happy to smother my face in a day cream from Boots.

When I go out I love to put on mascara and lipstick but I simply don't have time for leisurely facials and treatments. Going to the beauticians is not a priority for me as when I'm off work there is always so much catching up in the house to do.

5 SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

I love food and my favourite dish of all time is spaghetti bolognese which I order in restaurants whenever I can. The very best I have ever eaten was at La Tarantella, an Italian close to my home in Chiswick.

Kevin and I both love eating out but I do have to rein myself in when I'm at work. There are the most amazing caterers on site and you could keep chomping all day if you wanted to. But I am always worried about fitting into my costume.

Phyllis Logan is supporting Dementia UK's Time for a Cuppa campaign which runs until Sunday.

Thanks to last year's appeal, 1,000 more families receive support from an Admiral Nurse - a specialist dementia nurse. To host an event, visit timeforacuppa.org