Dowton Abbey star Jim Carter slams 'old Etonians' running the country

Dowton Abbey star Jim Carter slams “old Etonians” running the country (Carnival/ITV)

Dowton Abbey star Jim Carter has hit out at the “old Etonians” he says are still running the country.

The actor, who plays the rule abiding butler Mr Carson in the hit period drama, said that he hoped the current system would be revealed to be the “crock of s**t it is”, and called on bankers to “do us a favour and ruin the economy”.

“We have a Tory cabinet stuffed full of old Etonians - so what's changed? Is this Harold Macmillan or is this 2013? And being embarrassed about [their background] doesn't stop them being it, I don't suppose,” he told the Radio Times.

“People always strive for more - whether it's more social status or more money or more possessions. Hopefully all that will be shown up for the crock of s**t it is, and people will forget about it.

“Maybe if enough bankers do us a favour and ruin the economy, maybe we'll say, 'Shall we just back out of this system?”'

Carter will star alongside Michelle Dockery in the Christmas Special of the series, along with Paul Giamatti, who will join the cast to play Lady Grantham's brother.

The episode will also see Shirley MacLaine return to the role of Lady Grantham’s mother Martha. James Fox also joins the cast as aristocrat Lord Aysgarth.

The two-hour show will be shown on ITV at 8.30pm on Christmas Day.

See pictures from the Downton Abbey Christmas Special here.