I'm a working class lad. So at 25, and with no-one in our family having any theatrical inclination, when I said, 'I'm going to scratch all that and become an actor,' I may as well have said I was going to be a Premiership footballer for the chance I'd have.

Rob James-Collier

If you rile a tiger, he's going to show his claws.

Rob James-Collier

My mom and dad put my brother and sister through university and they were very keen for us to have an academic background just to give us a chance.

Rob James-Collier

People identify with being heartbroken. We've all been heartbroken, haven't we? I've been dumped, and it feels horrible.

Rob James-Collier

Because you've done the horrible jobs, it gives you an even grittier determination to succeed.

Rob James-Collier

If you're going to kiss a man, let it be a beautiful man like Ed Speleers.

Rob James-Collier

Particularly with internships, you have to work for a year with no money. How on Earth are you going to finance that?

Rob James-Collier

I've swam with great white sharks.

Rob James-Collier

The devil always has the better tunes!

Rob James-Collier

Beverly Hills is too intimidating. Everyone's got lovely teeth, so you don't want to smile. Everyone's ripped, so you start working out at 4 in the morning and eating egg white omelets.

Rob James-Collier

Obviously, I play a villain in 'Downton Abbey'. As an actor, you want to get a variety of roles, so to be offered the part of Joe, it was perfect.

Rob James-Collier

Working on 'Downton Abbey' is amazing, but there's an ensemble cast of between 18 and 21 actors. With 'Love Life,' there are two couples and a few other key characters. As a smaller unit, you've got to take more responsibility - at the same time, you can have more ownership of the direction it's going in.

Rob James-Collier

Before 'Coronation Street,' I was a jobbing actor, and after it, I'm a jobbing actor again.

Rob James-Collier

Most actors will tell you that villains are the most interesting to play.

Rob James-Collier

It's hard being gay in Edwardian times.

Rob James-Collier

You don't buy evil characters lattes. That's not normal behavior.

Rob James-Collier

There's definitely a wave of Brits doing great work on American television, and I wouldn't mind being one of them!

Rob James-Collier

I think because of my background - I went through university and did an academic career and fell into acting - I've never had a game plan for my career because I got into it quite ad hoc.

Rob James-Collier

Sometimes people can be guilty of not working at relationships and if it's not working, oof, that's it.

Rob James-Collier

America does not like people being not nice to dogs.

Rob James-Collier

If I had a comfort blanket, I wouldn't have been as passionate and driven.

Rob James-Collier