What's in store for Poldark?: Trailer - BBC One

This BBC trailer for Poldark is a montage of what has already passed in Poldark and what is still to come.   Some spoilers obviously.

Poldark Episode 5 Preview - Keren's Wedding

Here is the BBC preview of Episode 5: Keren's Wedding where we meet Keren (Sabrina Bartlett) and Dwight Enys (Luke Norris) for the first time.

Poldark to Air in Australia in April

Photo: BBC

Our friends in Australia will not have long to wait until they can share the joy that is Poldark.

The first episode of the  new  BBC adaptation of the Winston Graham novels, starring Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza), will air on Sunday 12 April at 8.40 pm on ABC


Here is the trailer for those in Australia

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/poldark/MP1514H116C00DT1?

Poldark Tops 9 pm Slot Once Again

Photo:BBC

Poldark won the Sunday night 9 pm viewing once again with 6.3 million viewers. which is 26.6% share of people watching television at that time, reports OvernightsTV.  This is slightly up on last week's figure of 6.2 m  (26.5%).

The consolidated viewing figure for the week was 7.8 million which, although down on the previous week, put it in second place only to The Voice at 8.1m according to Barb. In weeks one and two Poldark  recorded figures 8.7 m and  8.1 m consolidated viewing figures, respectively.

Poldark Top of the Tweets!

Photo BBC



Hooray!

Poldark was the most tweeted about programme on Twitter yesterday!  It's the first time the show has topped the charts since it began four weeks ago, although it has always made the Daily Top 5 on a Sunday.

Last night (29 March, 2015) some 7,700 individuals tweeted about Poldark, sending altogether some 17.9k tweets.   That's tops Poldark's record over the past weeks on both scores.  Prior to this the highest numbers had been in the first week of the drama when there were 11.6k tweets by almost 6,000 individuals, according to KantarMedia.

Last night, of course, was also the BBC #AskPoldark  Q&A with Aidan Turner.  Trendie WW  tweeted

"#AskPoldark" is now trending at rank 1 world wide

— TrendieWW - Trends (@TrendieWW) March 29, 2015

Well done all!

Twitter Q&A with Aidan Turner

Aidan Turner did a Twitter Q&A with BBC One after Episode 4 of Poldark. Here are the tweets. Enjoy!

Aidan Turner says hello! We’ll do our best to tackle as many questions as possible. Answers from Aidan will be signed AT. #AskPoldark

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Jamboreetweetie @BBCOne Did anything funny happen on set?

I once knocked myself out for 30 secs when running to the playback monitor to see a take I’d done! AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/xu8MF6yZFA

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@PoldarksHair @BBCOne what's best for curls & volume, Demelza's shampoo or a rinse in the sea? #AskPoldark

The Cornish wind and the rinse in the sea. Absolutely. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/0bYLknVGZB

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@JacquiInFrance @BBCOne Will you do another series #AskPoldark Please say yes

It’s too early to say, but I hope you enjoy all the remaining episodes. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/QSbonSQaEI

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@VisionSisters @bbcone Hello Aidan! What are the best 3 words that would describe you? #AskPoldark

Pretty chilled out. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/MFnrChuFnK

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@mollygarbs #askpoldark What is the name of the horse you ride? And was it you doing all the atmospheric cliff-top riding?

I did 95% of the riding and the horse is called Seamus – he’s from Ireland. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/N7nQxos5tF

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@AFFChiefExec @BBCOne Which of Poldark's qualities do you most admire

His sense of moral justice. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/LAHrMEp80f

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@jessiekaiser do you do anything special to get into a character's mindset? #AskPoldark @BBCOne

Referencing the scripts, reading the books and physical stuff helps - like horseriding for Poldark. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/W8t7iJ419s

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Mz_Scheherazade @BBCOne Did Robin Ellis give you any advice about playing Ross?

We didn’t swap any Ross notes. We talked about how he used to shoot his series back in the day. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/njgVq2P7mW

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@missjunglejulia @BBCOne do you remove ross's scar after shooting or keep it a few days? #AskPoldark

It gets removed after shooting – but nights have passed where I’ve forgotten to take it off! AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/PuU5Z7phJ9

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@sarahlangworthy @BBCOne #AskPoldark how cold was the sea in the skinny dipping scene

Not that cold! It was one of the hottest days of the summer. Very lucky. Thank God. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/5Q9zH66nP9

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@onedsmagic @BBCOne what has been your favourite scene to film?

The horseriding scenes were fun and the scenes with Eleanor were always enjoyable. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/z1NNhGpkWw

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@sweetpeeper2u @BBCOne #AskPoldark Are you aware that your hair has a following? #PoldarksHair

I am aware, yeah! It’s pretty hilarious! AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/wmT1OWivoe

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@SadieJane_ @BBCOne do you ever find it hard to leave a character behind once you've finished filming?

Not really, it's part of the job. I quite enjoy going onto the next thing. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/ylvyWDzMrf

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Photo_Belle_ @BBCOne Which actors inspired you the most when you were growing up? #AskPoldark

Richard Burton, Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/Br0sAHkLD5

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Angela_x @BBCOne Loving the series. Phenomenal so far! What (if any) similarities are there between you and Ross? #AskPoldark

We’re both pretty decent horse riders. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/1u2IJogUvZ

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@UlleyJill @BBCOne Did you enjoy wearing period costume? Was it comfortable?

It actually was. Really comfortable. I loved the hat! AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/dFe7BazBy8

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Chrysaleth @BBCOne How easy do you find doing an English accent? It's a faultless one.

That’s very kind. It’s an accent I’ve heard for a long time as I was brought up on BBC shows. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/WmwULwzqrE

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@cumberbtch @BBCOne Where was the nicest place you filmed at?

We filmed in a private beach that was pretty cool - and Bodmin Moor where Ross’s house was. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/PhECLj61PY

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

@Sh3r_l0cked @BBCOne what made interested you about this specific role? #AskPoldark

Ross is a very different character to any I've played. I enjoyed the books and loved the adaptation. AT #AskPoldark https://t.co/07n4LdCFxZ

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

Aidan signed off with

Thanks for watching the show and for sending in your #AskPoldark questions - it's been fun. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series. AT

— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 29, 2015

Eleanor Tomlinson on Chores, Aidan and Poldark

Photo via The Times

Eleanor Tomlinson plays Demelza in the BBC's new adaptation of Poldark.  In an interview with The Times she talks about getting the role, filming Poldark, and Aidan Turner.

Eleanor was called up in early 2014 to audition for the part of Elizabeth but, because it was Demelza she was interested in, she wore her bother's clothes and no make-up and had her hair in"a messy, greasy horrible bun". Subsequent auditions included a "chemistry test" with Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark). She says, "It was obvious from the beginning that Aidan and I could work well together. I think, at that chemistry test, there was definitely a sense in the room where you knew that the people watching us liked what they were seeing. Yes. There was a definite energy."

The media seems to have become obsessed with Aidan's body lately, but as Eleanor says, "Look, he's got a great body, and he works very hard at it, and it's great that people are talking about the show, But I'm hoping that the hysteria around it will die down slightly, and people will start talking about the storylines. Because it's getting a little bit tiring, even for Aidan. I think he's getting to the point where he's like, 'Oh God! Come on!'" 

However she does note that "It's nice to see a man doing it, as opposed to the women, who seem to have to go full frontal all the time now.I don't do nudity, I don't feel the need to do it. In fact it's sexier if you don't do nudity. Especially nowadays when it's become all that sells a series. Poldark has proven that you don't need nudity to convey a sexual relationship. It can be something as simple as the hair on the back of my neck moving as he's kissing me. It's the tiny things that get you hot under the collar."

When it comes to all those chores Demelza does Eleanor says, "My family make fun of me about the sweeping, because I'm always sweeping onto my feet. And apparently you sweep to the side." 

Eleanor also had something to say about the horse-riding. Having ridden since she was two years old, she's a better rider than Aidan, ("although I don't think he'd admit it") who has only ridden in recent years. So in some of the scenes where they ride the same horse it is Eleanor who holds the reins. 

Eleanor has signed on for three more series of Poldark, should the BBC give the go-ahead  to future seasons. "Everyone is talking about Poldark now," she says. "Everyone is loving it. And that's great...  I've done a job that's been received well, and that's the biggest compliment."

The Times Saturday 28 March, 2015

Episode 4 Preview

In this week's episode:

News of the marriage between Ross (Aidan Turner) and Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) shocks Trenwith - with Charles' (Warren Clarke) amusement at the union bringing on a fatal heart attack. On his death-bed he asks Ross to look after Francis (Kyle Soller) who is drinking, gaming and whoring his family’s money away.

Verity visits Nampara and despite Demelza’s worry that she is too common for Verity (Ruby Bentall), the two quickly become firm friends, and Verity teaches Demelza how to be a refined lady.

Wheal Leisure has still not hit copper and the money is running out. Ross turns to his investors, but finds they are unwilling to throw away good money after bad. They must hit copper soon or Wheal Leisure will have to close after Christmas.



Francis and Elizabeth invite Ross and Demelza to Trenwith for Christmas. Demelza is welcomed into the Trenwith Poldarks and appraised by Aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston), who never minces her words.

A new character to look out for this week is John Treneglos, played by actor and comedy performer Daniel Cook

Source: BBC

The Times TV Review of Poldark

From The Times Monday 23 March 2015

More Gratuitous Nudity Please, We're Cornish

Everything was pointing towards Demelza's deflowering on Poldark last night. Literally pointing. The chimney on top of Ross's mine had never looked so priapic. A candle jutted rigidly from a fly-hole in a stone wall. The flowers in the meadows opened yearningly towards the Sun. At home, Demelza, unable to get into her master's pants, made do with getting into his secret stash of women's clothing. (What a thoroughly modern hero this Poldark is, cross-dressing and all.)

The moment when it came was as brief and precipitous as the wedding ceremony that followed. I cannot decide whether this serial's adaptor, Debbie Horsfield, is a prude or a tease but Poldark is the first series to my recollection that gets complaints about the lack of gratuitous nudity.

Last week, Ross strode into the sea for all of ten seconds, exposing nothing but his back. What amounted to the money shot last night was Ross in the fields with a scythe. Aidan Turner was revealed, as was said of Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr in Samson and Delilah, to have bigger breasts than his leading lady. If you didn't see them, The Times runs a still most mornings.

Only a heterosexual man can say this, but here goes: while Poldark is a ratings success and a publicist's triumph, it is also a weekly compilation of visual cliché (Poldark riding a horse, again), laborious plotting and unlikely, Ed Miliband-ish industrial politics. Does anyone, anywhere, actually care whether Ross's mine is a success or not? Does anyone believe that Elizabeth and he were ever destined for each other? Were Phil Davis's talents ever more wasted?

Without the beauteous Turner, feral Eleanor Tomlinson as the highly strung Demelza (in another age, Poldark would check up her sleeves for signs of self-harming) and Cornwall, this show would have nothing. With them, it all amounts, I concede, to more than enough. That said, Sunday's episode was stolen by the original Poldark, the semi-retired Robin Ellis, as the unsympathetic judge. What a loss to character acting he turns out to be.

Tweet Poldark Tweet

Sunday night's episode of Poldark really got us talking if Twitter is anything to go by.

Poldark trended for the third Sunday running with more people tweeting about the show than the week before, which had the well publicised swim in it.  This time it seemed to be mainly the Ross/Demelza kiss and Demelza in that dress that people focussed on. Oh! and the scything.

Poldark came third in the Kantar Twitter TV Ratings for 22 March with just over 10k tweets made by some 5,000 individuals from 30 minutes before the drama to 30 minutes afterwards.  RichardIII: The Return of the King topped the ratings with nearly 24k tweets, followed by The Only Way is Essex almost 17k.

Last week there were 7.8k tweets from around 4,000 people and the week before (Episode 1) some 11.6k tweets from almost 6,000 individuals.

Here are just some of the ones about pie!

Cravings after #Poldark.. Pie will do, as I have no darkhaired master available.. Damn you @BBCOne 4 ruining my diet pic.twitter.com/Z9EfYtyBfZ
— Pascale van Zuilen (@Passie2703) March 22, 2015

Poldark just showed me the pie of my dreams.
— Aaron Miller (@aa_miller) March 22, 2015

A pie... What gripping television this makes #poldark
— Freya Judd (@FreyaJudd) March 22, 2015

VIDEO: Demelza Struggles to be a Lady

 Poldark: Episode 4 preview - BBC One
Demelza struggles to be a lady

Latest Viewing Figures for 'Poldark'

Viewers continued to enjoy Poldark last night with 6.2 million people watching episode 3, which was 26.5% of all TV viewers (Overnights.TV).    Episode 1 had 6.9 million (29%) and episode 2, 6.7 million (28.2").

Poldark is well up on the BBC's viewing average for this 9pm Sunday night slot which has been 5.1 million (21.6%) for the last year.  It also soundly beats the competition with Sunday's episodes of Mr Selfridge and Indian Summers drawing 3.7 m and 1.2 m respectively.

The consolidated weekly viewing figures for Poldark  episode 2 remained strong at 8.1m compared to 8.7 m the previous week, according to Barb.  This put it in third place behind Comic Relief (8.5m) and The Voice Sunday (8.3m) for the week 9-15 March.

Video: Ross and Demelza: The Kiss

Ross, angered by the court's decision, loses his temper with Demelza and upsets her. As he tries to comfort her, the pair are both surprised by a passionate and scandalous kiss.

Odds Shortening on Aidan Turner for Next James Bond

Photo Rexfeatures

Britain's biggest bookmaker, William Hill, have shortened the odds on Aidan Turner becoming the next James Bond for the second day in a row, from 33/1 to 10/1.

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said. 'Poldark is making Darcy look like a dandy. We believe Aidan can write his own ticket after this,' 

Music News reports the William Hill odds for the next James Bond as:  2/1 Idris Elba, 9/2 Tom Hardy, 6/1 Henry Cavill, 13/2 Michael Fassbender, 8/1 Jamie Dornan, 10/1 Aidan Turner, 10/1 Orlando Bloom, 10/1 Richard Armitage, 14/1 Dan Stevens, 16/1 Daniel Day-Lewis, 16/1 Gerard Butler, 16/1 James McAvoy, 20/1 Tom Hiddlestone, 25/1 Damian Lewis, 25/1 Sam Worthington, 33/1

I first heard Aidan touted as 'the next James Bond' by an Irish theatre reviewer back in 2006 who had seen him on stage in Cyrano.   So at last it seems the world is catching up with how terrific an actor Aidan is.

Fowey Festival Hosts 'Poldark' Session

The TV drama Poldark is the subject of one of the sessions at the Fowey Festival this year.

Screen writer Debbie Horsfield, executive producer Karen Thrussell and Andrew Graham, author Winston Graham's son, will discuss the TV drama and how the new adaptation of the novels came together.

Poldark Novels: The BBC Adaptation is on 9 May, 4-5 pm at St Fimbarrus Church. Tickets cost £12 and can be booked here

Fowey Festival, is Cornwall's leading literary festival. It runs 9 - 16 May. 2015. Follow the link to download a programme.

Many thanks to @godreveylight  Jake Blight  for this news.

Poldark: Episode 3

BBC

 Ross celebrates the opening of Wheal Leisure as rumours spread of a scandalous
relationship between him and Demelza. Francis and Elizabeth celebrate the birth of their new son. Ross must fight to save his friend Jim, sparring in court with Reverend Halse.

New characters to look out for in this episode are Jinny Martin, played by Gracee O'Brien, Mrs Zacky Martin (Emma Spurgin Hussey) both of whom we glimpsed in episode 1,

Jinny played by Gracee O'Brien

Emma Spurgin Hussey as Mrs Zacky Martin

that rogue Sir Hugh Bodrugan ( Patrick Ryecart)

Photo: Nick Kenyon

Rev.Halse (Robin Ellis)

and, of course, the Reverend Halse (Robin Ellis)


If you want to look further ahead our Episodes Page but beware of spoilers!

Poldark to be Shown in Africa

Poldark is to be shown in Africa on ITV Choice following a deal between ITV Studios Global Entertainment and Multichoice, an African pay TV operator, reports C21 Media.  While Poldark is a BBC production, ITVS GE are the world wide distributors of the drama.

ITV Choice will show ITV Studios programmes from May 5, 2015 and will air them close to their UK transmission date. The programmes, including Poldark, will be available to DStv Premium customers on DStv channel 123.

Video: Ross Defends Jim in Court

Here is a clip from Episode 3 of Poldark. Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) defends Jim Carter (Alexander Arnold) in court. And, just for good measure, there's TV's original Ross Poldark, Robin Ellis, as Rev. Halse.

Poldark DVD Available in US

The UK edition of the Poldark dvd is now for sale in the US.

The PBS Shop is selling the dvd at the offer price of $39.99. It is available for pre-order with a release date of  7 July, 2015.The additional information says there are three discs with a total running time of 480 minutes which, according to my reckoning, means the dvd contains the eight, sixty minute episodes with no extras.  It also has English subtitles.

Poldark will air in the US on 14 June, 2015 on PBS Masterpiece,

Turning Chavenage into Trenwith

Chavenage House in Tetbury, Wiltshire, is used in the new BBC drama Poldark as Trenwith, the Poldark family home.

via Wilts and Glos Standard

Both the interior and exterior of the Elizabethan house were used. Filming took place in the Great Hall, where the Poldark family dine and in the Oak Room. There are frequent shots of Ross (Aidan Turner) arriving and leaving the grounds. In fact, the very first day of filming was at Chavenage, with Ross riding up to the house.

Owner of Chavenage House, Rona Lowsley-Williams told the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 'The film crews knew exactly what they wanted. They took up all the gravel when they came to film in April, then they left and we had to put it back down for the summer weddings, then when they came back to film in September they took it all up again!”

And that wasn't the only change. All signs of modern living such as light switches, cables

Oak room via Chavenage.com

and radiators, had to be covered up and the guttering painted black. The wallpaper and curtains were changed and lead lattice put on windows. 

“Part of the reason they picked Chavenage is that when you look out you cannot see anything man made, no buildings or electricity wires – just countryside,” Rona said.

Chavenage is open to the public and throughout the filming there were Thursday and Saturday tours.  Rona explained, 'I think the visitors rather liked seeing the actors. The crew would make us wait until they heard that filming was done on their walkie-talkies.”

If Poldark is granted a second series then filming will return to Chavenage next year.

BBC

Video Review of 'Poldark'

Andrew Collins gives a video review of Poldark for The Guardian. It starts at 1 min 17

Poldark in Numbers

Congratulations to  Poldark!

6.7 million viewers turned on their TVs to watch the second episode last night, making it the most watched programme in the 9pm slot for the second week running, with 28.2% of the viewing audience

Episode 2 of #Poldark pulled in an impressive 6.7m/28.2%, keeping it top of the Sunday 9pm ratings.
— UK TV Ratings (@TVRatingsUK) March 16, 2015

Not only that but it trended on twitter with some 7.8k tweets from the half hour before to the half hour after the drama aired and over 4,000 individuals tweeting. This makes Poldark the fourth most tweeted about programme on 15 March, 2015 according to Kantar Media. Only The Voice, The Only Way is Essex and The Andrew Marr Show received more tweets.

Here are some of the tweets

Thought Demelza shaping up nicely too, notice her Ross, please! #Poldark
— Poldark Fandom (@Poldarkfandom) March 15, 2015

Well that was an exciting episode @Poldarked @PoldarkTV So much wonderful drama! Poor Verity 😕 and @AidanTurner was amazing, once again 👌
— Lyra (@Lyra_Mathers) March 15, 2015

Finally...Captain Henshawe makes his debut...@JAHollingworth @Poldarked @poldarkrooms
— Theresa Phillips (@tphillipstweets) March 15, 2015

New Characters in Episode 2

Here are some of the new characters to look out for in Episode 2 of Poldark.

John Hollingworth plays CAPTAIN HENSHAWE. Henshawe is a well-respected mine captain who has worked his way up through the ranks. A calm and pragmatic man, he worked for Ross' father at Wheal Leisure and confidently backs Ross in his gambit to re-open her.

Photo credit: Nick Kenyon

CAPTAIN ANDREW BLAMEY (Richard Harrington) A successful sea captain known for his volatile temper, which tragically resulted in the accidental death of his wife and unborn child. Now a reformed alcoholic, he worships Verity, but faces stern opposition from Charles and Francis who consider him likely to drag the Poldark name through the mud.

Photo Official Poldark

JIM CARTER (Alexander Arnold) a miner and friend of Ross Poldark's. Jim appeared briefly in Episode 1 but we'll see more of him today

BBC

MARGARET (Crystal Leaity) A Lady of the Night.

Photo: Crystal Leaity

BBC Spotlight on Filming Poldark

Last summer BBC Spotlight visited the set of Poldark in Cornwall. This video of the filming includes interviews with Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark) and Tristan Sturrock (Zacky Martin).

Post by BBC Spotlight.

Win a copy of 'Ross Poldark' and 'Demelza' in our Twitter Giveaway!

 

Win a copy of Ross Poldark and Demelza in our Twitter Giveaway!

Our friends at Pan Macmillan have given us two sets of the first two Poldark novels to give away in our easy to enter competition.

For your chance to win, simply tweet the answer to the following question along with the hashtag  #FreePoldark  and tag @panmacmillan

The question is:

What is Ross Poldark’s house called?

The prize is a copy of the books Ross Poldark and Demelza

The competition is open to UK residents only
The winners will be picked at random from those answering the question correctly

The competition ends at 5pm on Monday 16 March, 2015

Good luck!

Demelza Belongs at Nampara

Here is the latest clip from Episode 2 of Poldark which will be shown on BBC!, 9pm, Sunday 15 March. Demelza belongs at Nampara

Poldark Episode Two

When the local mine Wheal Reath is closed, hundreds of miners, including Jim (Alexander Arnold), find themselves out of work and desperately poor. Ross (Aidan Turner), having repaired the family home of Nampara, now employs Jim as a farm-hand, and thinks to resurrect his family’s mine (Wheal Leisure) with the hope of bringing prosperity to the area again.

Meanwhile, Verity (Ruby Bentall) asks Ross to accompany her to a ball at the Assembly Rooms, where she meets and falls in love with Captain Andrew Blamey (Richard Harrington). However, Blamey is hiding a dark secret that Verity's brother Francis (Kyle Soller) and father Charles (Warren Clarke) are horrified to discover.

Ross, with the help of mine Captain Henshawe (John Hollingworth) and willing investor Horace Treneglos (Michael Culkin), manages to convince banker and friend, Harris Pascoe (Richard Hope) that Wheal Leisure is a viable business.

But it is Ross' intimate dance with Elizabeth (Heida Reed) that causes a stir at the ball and gives the other guests a reason to gossip.

Under George’s (Jack Farthing) influence, a jealous Francis (Kyle Soller) decides not to go into business with Ross. Meanwhile, Ross must help Verity arrange a tryst with Captain Blamey after Charles discovered Blamey’s scandalous past and forbids her from seeing him. Francis, spurred by his jealousy of Ross and angered by this fresh betrayal, challenges Blamey to an ill-fated duel. Ross is able to save Francis’ life, but Charles (Warren Clarke) blames Ross for the incident and will not forgive him. Elizabeth, however, is extremely grateful to Ross, revealing that she is pregnant with Francis’ child.

Thanks to BBC

Winston Graham's Daughter Calls New Poldark Adaptation 'Amazing' and 'Beautiful'

After the first episode of Poldark aired on Sunday, the daughter of Winston Graham, Rosamund Barteau, spoke with the Western Morning News about the new adaptation.

'I am quite emotional at the moment,' she said. 'I had watched it once before the big screen premiere, so this was my third time. And to be honest, I could probably watch it three more times because I see different things every time and on the big screen it really comes alive.'

She continued, 'My brother Andrew and I both know that our father would have been very, very pleased. He really loved the Poldark novels and even though he wrote all his life he was particularly attached to Poldark.

'I think what the BBC has done is amazing. The new adaptation is beautiful and very true to my father’s words. Debbie Horsfield has done an excellent job, so I am absolutely happy with the treatment they’ve given it.'

Rosamund was brought up in Cornwall, but now lives in Idaho in the United States. She travelled back for the Poldark premiere at Truro Plaza Cinema, and had a few words to say about accents. 'They’re all good so I don’t really want to single out anyone in particular for special praise,' she said. 'But I must say Eleanor, who plays the character of Demelza, in particular has done a very clever job. Her voice is authentic, not too strong, and understandable. Jud is great, too, with his "tid’n right, tid’n proper, tid’n just".'

Author Winston Graham lived at Perranporth in Cornwall from 1925 until 1959, and during that time, he published the first four of his Poldark novels. Rosamund was old enough to read them at that time, but she had to wait twenty long years between the fourth and fifth books.

'After that, every time he finished one we had to wait for the next one to come along, So readers today are very fortunate because they can get all 12 and go from start to finish. I have subsequently read them from start to finish and it is wonderful to get that continuity.'

Even though she obviously knows how everything turns out, she said, 'I am dying to see episode two.' High praise from the author's daughter!

Here's another recorded interview with Rosamund Barteau about the Poldark series. Have a listen!

Aidan Turner to Guest at Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

Aidan Turner is to be a guest at the 13th Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. The JDIFF is Ireland's premiere feature film festival and attracts stars from around the world.

Aidan will be taking part in the behind-the-scenes event Expressing Emotion: Actors in Conversation.  Aidan will talk about his career, training and getting started in the industry.  He will be joined by actors Sarah Greene ( who is also his girlfriend) and Robert Sheehan (who he starred with in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones)

Expressing Emotion takes place on Tuesday 24 March, 2015 at 3pm. Tickets cost 7 euros and you can book here.
The JDIFF runs 19 to 29 March, 2015.

Aidan Turner "I Love a Bit of Boxing"

BBC

In the first episode of Poldark Ross (Aidan Turner) gets into a fight with Tom Carne (Mark Frost). We've talked before about Aidan doing fight scenes  in his various roles, so how did he find it this time?

In an interview with Metro Aidan said, ‘Yes, it was a pretty full-on scrap in the first episode. When I saw the size of the guys I was facing, I thought “hang on”.

‘But I love a bit of boxing. Actors need to bring a lot of skills to the table these days.’ 

farfarawaysite

Aidan went on to talk about his fellow cast member, the late Warren Clarke saying, ‘His impact on the show was tremendous. At the first rehearsals we did, everyone was a bit daunted and then we realised that Warren was doing an imitation of Tommy Cooper. It cracked us up: he was doing it to bring everyone together. We were all on the same level after that.’

And  Robin Ellis, the original Ross who plays Reverend Halse?  ‘I didn’t really talk about Ross with Robin because there was a common ground there that we both felt, without words. ‘But I had this big scene in the courtroom and Ross is really going for it and I caught Robin’s eye and the look he gave… it felt like he’d given me the green light to play him.’

So did he now feel the romantic hero? He said, ‘I certainly didn’t when I was filming, because when you’re doing it you’re immersed in the character. But you see the playback and Ross is galloping across the clifftops and Demelza’s looking gorgeous and you think, “is that me up there? It can’t get more romantic than this”.’