The 33-year-old actress has been busy playing Lady Mary Crawley on the hit period drama for the past five years and is now looking forward to taking some time off to travel the world following the conclusion of the sixth and final series.

She said: "I never had a year out. I want to go travelling. I've never been to Australia. I'd love to go to India. I want to go backpacking."

The brunette beauty also confessed she was shocked by how upset she was when shooting her last scenes.

She told Red magazine: "On my last day of filming, leading up to that final take, I felt sick.

"I didn't expect to feel so sad. But I think it was a smart move to end the show where we did. At the wrap party, the producer did a speech and said, 'Now let's party like it's 1925!' My feet have only just recovered from all the dancing."

Michelle and her co-star Laura Carmichael - who played her on-screen sister Lady Edith Crawley - were so upset that they wandered the grounds of Highclere Castle together before sitting on Lady Mary's late husband Matthew's bench for a quick sob.