Hugh Bonneville reveals fakers impersonate him on social media

Hugh Bonneville has revealed that he has been targeted by con artists who are pretending to be him on social media.

The Downton Abbey and Paddington star said it happens regularly, with fraudsters setting up online accounts in his name.

According to the Daily Mail, Bonneville said the people then send private messages to his followers, pretending to be the actor.

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“Roughly every two weeks, some numpty who can't spell sets up two new accounts pretending to be me,” the star was quoted as saying.

“They send naff private messages to people who follow me, hoping to lure them into a weird cave under a rock near the sea anemones of their imagination.”

Bonneville, 57, has his own official website and is also active on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, where he regularly updates followers on life amid the coronavirus pandemic as well as career bits and bobs.

Last week he gave his followers an early Christmas present when he shared the trailer for his biopic To Olivia on Christmas Eve.

The actor portrays children’s author Roald Dahl in the film, which focuses on his marriage to Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, who is played by Keeley Hawes.

Bonneville is best known for playing Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in hit period drama series Downton Abbey.

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But his other well-known roles include Mr Henry Brown in the much-loved Paddington movies, Bernie in the romantic comedy Notting Hill and Ian Fletcher in the popular series W1A.

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