Downton Abbey actress joins real life husband on-screen in Channel 5 crime drama

Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan has been reunited on our screens with her real-life spouse, Kevin McNally, in Channel 5's gripping crime series, Murder Most Puzzling.

The show, an adaptation of the much-lauded Puzzle Lady Mysteries from the mind of author Parnell Hall, follows sleuth Cora Felton whose exceptional crossword-solving talents see her become a surprising asset to the police department in a sleepy town.

McNally, known for his roles in epic franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and acclaimed series including The Crown and Unforgotten, portrays Gilbert – a potential romantic fixture in Cora's life.

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According to the episode narrative, "Cora is distracted by love, as she's wooed by a charming suitor, Gilbert. When Sherry says he seems too good to be true, it causes a rift between the women but plants a seed of doubt in Cora's mind."

Phyllis first encountered Kevin on the set of Love and Reason, back in 1993. It wasn't until well into their workforce years that they tied the knot in 2011, after becoming parents to their son David in 1996, reports Surrey Live.

In a heart-to-heart with Mail Online in 2017, Phyllis divulged details about their unexpected romance: "I never thought real love.

"The sort where your blood tingles and your world explodes with joy – would happen to me at my time of life," she shared. "I believed I had missed out. But I'm ever so glad it happened.'"

Phyllis and Kevin, who recently played Jane Austen's parents in the BBC period drama Miss Austen, reunite as on-screen lovers in the new series Murder Most Puzzling.

Set against the backdrop of the idyllic market town of Bakerbury, the show introduces us to Cora Felton, a crossword aficionado who lends her puzzle-solving prowess to the local police force when a murder mystery unfolds.

The official synopsis for the series reveals: "After the body of a teenage girl is found in the local cemetery with an enigmatic clue in her pocket, Bakerbury Detective DCI Hooper seeks help from the town's newest, and most famous, resident – Cora Felton, AKA The Puzzle Lady."

Cora's unconventional 'shoot first, ask questions never' method becomes an asset as she navigates through a web of murderers, swindlers, and dodgy officials.

Despite harbouring a secret that could destroy her and those close to her, Cora's uncanny knack for unravelling murder mysteries stands out. "And, as it turns out, Bakerbury isn't as sleepy as it looks."

Murder Most Puzzling airs on 5.