Alfred Nugent

Alfred Nugent arrives at Downton as a new footman, all elbows and eagerness, brought in through his aunt O'Brien's connections. He's gawky, sincere, and painfully polite, forever apologising for being too tall or too clumsy. He nurses a hopeless crush on kitchen maid Ivy and secretly dreams of trading livery for a chef's apron.

Matt Milne plays him as pure, unguarded sincerity in a house full of scheming, which makes him funny without making him a joke. His clumsiness with silver trays and with Ivy is played for gentle comedy, but the writing lets his ambition to cook be taken seriously, giving a lowly footman real forward motion of his own.