izzyhoey2: Elizabeth McGovern sheds her title to get down and dirty on stage at the Isle of Wight

PUBLISHED: 12:47 EST, 23 June 2012 | UPDATED: 04:06 EST, 24 June 2012

It's enough to have the Dowager Grantham reaching for her smelling salts, seeing her daughter-in-law pick up and guitar and rock out with tens of thousands of people.

But Elizabeth McGovern couldn't have been further from her Countess Grantham character as she got her music groove on and took to the stage at the Isle of Wight Festival today.

However, she still managed to look like a lady as she joined 80s Scottish rockers Big Country on the main stage at the music event.

Downton to down and dirty: Actress Elizabeth McGovern, best known as Countess Cora Grantham, takes to the stage at the Isle of Wight Festival today

Elizabeth, 50, looked fantastic and every inch the rock chick in her short beaded black skirt, ankle-high boots, hot pink satin top and black blazer, but still looked chic and elegant and enough to make the Downton clan proud.

The American actress grabbed her guitar and joined frontman Mike Peters - formerly of The Alarm - and the band's new line-up for their set which included hits such as Big Country and Fields of Fire.

More Fields of Mud than Fields of Fire: Elizabeth joined frontman Mike Peters - formerly of the Alarm - to sing some of Big Country's biggest hits

Rock looks like a lady! Elizabeth looked like she was having a great time as Mike gave her a shout out to the crowd

She and Peters, 53, then grabbed hands and headed down the stairs to the photo pit to slap hands and dance along with the festival goers that were at the front of the stage.

Before the show, Elizabeth said she was delighted to have been asked to play with Big Country on the main stage and told the BBC: 'I am thrilled to be playing with such a stellar cast of musicians.'

Rock chick: Shortly after her set with Big Country, Elizabeth headed to the Garden Set to play with her band Sadie and the Hotheads

The band's bassist Tony Butler added: 'We had a tradition of working with great female vocalists such as Kate Bush and Eddi Reader in the past, so having the opportunity to have Elizabeth perform with us at the IOW is going to be really cool.'

McGovern also performs in her own band called Sadie and the Hotheads who performed on the Garden Stage shortly afterwards.

Let's go and meet the crowd! Mike grabbed her hand as they made their way into the photo pit....

... and rocked out with the festival-goers

Promoter John Giddings said he was very excited to have the actress on board and said: 'I have been a fan since Once Upon A Time In America.

'As soon as I found out that Elizabeth could sing, it was a must to invite her to play at the festival. We will roll out the red carpet for Lady Cora.'

Were you planning to make shorts and gave up halfway through? Jessie J took to the main stage in a pair of very ripped white jeans

Also taking to the main stage today was Jessie J, who entertained the crowd with a number of her biggest hits in a pair of very ripped white jeans and a cropped black net top.

She followed Madness as Suggs and the gang took to the stage, fresh off the back of playing the roof of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Jubilee concert.