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!