Downton Abbey season 6: Daisy revolting against attitudes towards underprivileged says Sophie McShera

She was previously doomed to a life as a downstairs employee but Daisy Mason is fighting against the system in Downton Abbey. Actress Sophie McShera admits she is proud her much-loved character will end the series wiser and more educated than when she started.

The popular ITV period drama will be bowing out later in 2015 with its final episode airing on Christmas Day. Most characters have certainly gone through a journey over the past six seasons and viewers will have seen Daisy being put to the test once again in episode seven, which airs tonight (1 November).

Speaking about her characters transformation, McShera told IBTimes UK at a press conference: "She's having a revolt at the moment. She's not a rebel but she's definitely becoming aware and becoming dissatisfied... she suddenly opens her eyes that she should have more opportunities. She's just aware that she could and should broaden her horizons and educate herself in order to have anything in life."

McShera added: "My character gets to explore it [education and shift of powers] quite a bit. She's one of the first characters that has had an awakening and [realises] there's this world out there that's not just this house. She's socially aware and becomes politicised and that's really interesting, I really liked that. From what she was at the beginning, she does explore that. It tends to be the older characters like Mr Carson, he's not interested in things moving forward, it scares him."

Watch the new Downton Abbey season 6 teaser:

Viewers have enjoyed watching McShera's relationship with cook Mrs Patmore develop in recent seasons but the relationship has blossomed off-screen just as much as it has on. McShera explained: "The friendships have been the abiding thing. My relationship with Lesley [Nicol] – I've been so lucky to meet, if we didn't get on it would have been the weirdest six years. It would have been horrible."

Revealing how she would like Mrs Patmore to end the series, Nicol said: "The friendships have been the abiding thing. My relationship with Lesley – I've been so lucky to meet, if we didn't get on it would have been the weirdest six years. It would have been horrible."

Downton Abbey will air its penultimate episode on 8 November at 9pm on ITV.