Laura Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith in Downton Abbey, has opened up about the celebrity nude pictures scandal.

Two weeks ago, hackers circulated nude images of her co-star Jessica Brown Findlay, and Jennifer Lawrence, on the internet, which Laura describes as “awful”.

Talking about it to Event Magazine, the Downton Abbey star said: "It’s just awful. It’s a crime. It makes me really sad that this is the world in which we live."

“Terrifying and upsetting. What’s happened to my mate is horrendous. I don’t understand why it is anything other than criminality and exploitation.”

She added: "It is just plain stealing. I don’t think there is any other way of looking at it."

Laura, who is very private and has managed to keep herself out of the limelight even though she has been on the hit series for the past four years, went on to add: "The fact people are interested is just sad. I don’t know why it’s anyone else’s business."

Well said, Laura, well said!

Downton Abbey will be back on our screens on the 21st September and we, for one, cannot wait!