Puff Daddy 'not happy' Downton Abbey is ending and claims character's death was 'uncalled for and stressful'

'When Matthew Crawley died it was straight tears in my house'

P Diddy's favourite character of the period drama is Lady Sybil ( Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has claimed he is such a fan of ITV drama Downton Abbey that it was “straight tears” in his house when the character Matthew Crawley died.

The producer-turned-rapper, who’s preferred hobbies are often assumed to be riding a jet ski while wearing a dressing gown, reportedly appeared in a Bafta tribute to the programme, which is currently in its final season, something the rap mogul says he is “not happy about”.

According to Vanity Fair, he admitted to having such a crush on Lady Sybil that when the character died, he wrote to show creators telling them it was “uncalled for and stressful”.

“I’m interested in history, kings and lords. I watched episode one and got wrapped up in it. Then I found out I had a crush on Lady Sybil. I watched it every week to see her pretty eyes and discovered the show was excellent. The writing is incredible and each character is such a great actor.

“When [Sybil] died, it was devastating to me… then when Matthew Crawley died, it was straight tears in my house.”

Combs, known variously as Puff Daddy, Puffy and Diddy, claims he was so affected by the latter because the character drew comparisons with his own story, the “plight as an outsider coming in, being hit with a fortune and having to figure it out”.

Surprising as these claims may be, it is not the first time the 46-year-old has spoken of his love for the show. In 2013 he appeared in a Funny or Die parody where he played ‘Lord Wolcott’.