Acting with Dame Maggie 'like playing tennis with someone much better'

DOWNTON Abbey star Dame Penelope Wilton has described acting with Dame Maggie Smith as "playing tennis with someone much better than you".

- Mark Reynolds

She said she "enormously admired" the late actress, who died last year.

The Olivier award winner added that as a young actress she "wanted to be" Dame Maggie, and saw every play she performed in, including her turn as Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello.

And she said it was extraordinary to work with an actress who could do everything.