VIDEO: Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson Radio One Interview

Many thanks to Potatoes Sweet for this video of Aidan and Eleanor on BBC Radio One Breakfast

AUDIO: Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson on Radio One

Here are some clips of Aidan and Eleanor's chat on the Nick Grimshaw Breakfast Show on BBC Radio One on 31 August, 2016.

Demelza's Songs on New 'Poldark' Album

Wonderful news! A deluxe edition of the Poldark soundtrack is due for release in September according to Film Music Reporter.

The album will consist of the original music from series one, composed by Anne Dudley, along with two of Demelza's songs sung by Eleanor Tomlinson, the title music played by pianist Lang Lang and a suite of the most popular themes. The two songs of Demelza's are I'd Pluck a Fair Rose and How the Tide Rushes In.

I'm sure  that news of this soundtrack, which is due for release by Sony Classical on 16 September, 2016, will make a lot of people happy.

Update 2 Sept. 2016:

VIDEO: 'Poldark' Panel at BFI 2016

Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza), Aidan Turner (Ross), Debbie Horsfield (writer) and Damien Timmer (executive producer) made up the entertaining panel at the preview screening of Poldark  S2 on Monday 22 August, 2016.  The session was hosted by Boyd Hilton.

Our post  10 Snippets from the BFI Poldark Panel gives you a hint of what to expect from the video.

10 Snippets from BFI Poldark Panel

Here are a few titbits from the BFI Poldark Q&A.

• Debbie Horsfield (writer) said, "We've never called him (Ross) a hero."

• Mammoth Screen refer to the show as Planet Poldark.

• There are nine episodes in series three covering one and a half books (The Black Moon and The Four Swans).

• Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza) said on filming in bad weather, "There was that scene on the cliff where we were  literally squeezing each others hand to say when to speak."  "Yeah!" said Aidan, "And then you still have to try to keep that emotion and not make it look like a crappy panto."

• Aidan thinks a fight scene with George Warleggan (Jack Farthing) more fun than a love scene with Eleanor.

• Eleanor explained how the sex scenes are funny and unglamorous because they're highly orchestrated. Aidan joked, "We just get on with it.  It's like the real thing - it's really awkward."

• Debbie said it was realistic for Aidan to be shirtless in the mining scene as it's hot underground. "Real hot,'"quips Aidan to much laughter,"I dunno, you just oil yourself up and get on with it y'know."

• Aidan said this year he'd taken a few months off to 'do normal good things' and feels rested up. Last year he was tired coming into the filming as he'd done three or four jobs beforehand and that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

• Aidan on filming: "I'm probably Ross Poldark more than I'm Aidan Turner in those six or seven months."

• A schoolfriend of Aidan's gave him what she thought was one of his first ever videos, her college showreel.  "Get outta here! Don't hand to anybody else,' he jokingly threatened, 'It'll stay with me."

The BFI recorded the Poldark Q&A but, because of spoilers, have yet to decide when to post it online.

Pamela Haddock: Making-Up Ross

Pamela Haddock via Bristol 24/7

Pamela Haddock had a job that was the envy of people across the country: that of Aidan Turner’s make-up artist on Poldark S2. And BAFTA nominated Pamela certainly appreciated the work: ‘He is so beautiful that it was a pleasure to make up such a handsome man every day. When people found out I was doing Poldark, out of all of the projects I’ve ever worked on, they'd get this stunned face and one person actually asked me if I touch Aidan…. Obviously I have to touch him otherwise I can’t make him up. Every age group of woman seems to have fallen in love with him. As a result, I had a certain status for a while because I was looking after one of the most handsome men around which is nice and did help get me up every morning.’

Enjoyable though making-up Aidan may be were there still challenges for her? 

‘With Aidan,’ she says, ’it is about the scar which will naturally fade and eventually,  in years to come, almost fade away like scars do. I was very nervous to be taking that on. It’s always there but in some lights it picks up and some lights it doesn’t which is what a natural scar does.’

And what about the make-up for the fight scenes?  As Pamela explains,‘Ross gets into lots of scrapes. I love applying injuries and bruising – it’s one of my favourite aspects of the job. I love the changing bruising patterns that happen in real life and again, with Aidan I didn’t want it to look fake  but I wanted people to see the bruising and wonder if he has actually hurt himself. Sometimes on camera I have to darken his bruising but I don’t want it to be obvious. Aidan is so attractive he even looks handsome with a black eye!’

Yet when we come to watch Poldark Pamela hopes her work will go unnoticed. ‘All I ever want is for people to believe it and not really notice the make-up. They shouldn’t be looking at the make-up and the hair; they should be enjoying it so much they don’t notice those things and they just believe it is real.’

Poldark returns to BBC One on Sunday 4 September at 9 pm.

Source: BBC Media

‘Aidan Turner Leads the Company in Some Style’

‘Aidan leads the company in some style,’ observes actor John Nettles who joins the cast of Poldark for series two as Ray Penvenen, gentleman and uncle to Caroline (Gabriella Wilde).

The filming of the second series started last September with a fresh crew and several new cast members joining those actors returning from the first season.

Aidan Turner, who plays the lead character Ross reveals, ‘It was lovely to come back knowing that the first series went out and it was popular, it’s a real morale booster on set. It’s also very flattering because we all worked really hard on the first series and it seems like it has paid off. It’s great because we enjoy doing what we do and we want the show to continue. There is so much more of this story to tell so it kind of needed to be a hit!’

Quick to point out that the crew all play their part in the show’s success he continues, ‘When you step outside your trailer you realise there are so many people working twenty times harder than you are and it is a very humbling experience.’ And the feeling on set?  ‘It’s a cliché thing to say but we are like a family. We have intimate and close relationships with everyone because they’re in your face all day. We’re very lucky to have the talented team we have.’

Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wild) and Unwin Trevaunance (Hugh Skinner)

Even so, it must have been a little daunting for new cast members joining a show that’s created such a stir. Gabriella Wilde, who plays heiress Caroline Penvenen says, ‘Before I started it was quite worrying because I had never been in that situation before where you know you will be filming with an already established cast whose characters you know having watched them in series one. But they couldn’t have been more welcoming. I was told they are one of the friendliest casts and that everyone gets on really well. The show has a real reputation for being an amazing environment to work in and that was the case.’

Hugh Skinner agrees, ‘They were all so brilliant. It was a really welcoming process. Also, because everyone is away from London you do things like go for dinner all together which was great. I played a very stressful game of pick-up sticks with some coffee stirrers one day with Gabriella and Jack – that was challenging! Nail biting in fact.’  Hugh is cast as the  Unwin Trevaunance, Caroline’s suitor and aspiring MP and brings a nice bit of light-heartedness to the show.

Also joining the cast is Sebastian Armesto. He plays Tankard, an attorney at law employed by George Warleggan (Jack Farthing). Seb already knew Jack as his brother and Jack were at university together. For him the challenge of joining Poldark was the pace of filming. He says, ‘Because most of the cast had already worked on Poldark for series one, matching their speed and smartness was, I suppose, my biggest challenge – just making sure I was up to standard.’

John Nettles via Telegraph

But let's go back to John Nettles for some final words about joining Poldark. John has himself been a leading man in the dramas Bergerac and Midsomer Murders so how did it feel to be a supporting member of the cast? ‘It was lovely; it’s such a relief. I always felt, as leader of the company you have a duty of care towards the actors coming in to make them feel welcome and at ease and to celebrate their talent. On Poldark that was not my job anymore, I could just concentrate on the acting and enjoy other people’s company and they were, without exception, delightful people.

‘Aidan leads the company in some style; it has to be said – he’s so talented! He is not only a charming and delightful man but also a damn good actor and really is Poldark, the man himself.'

Source: BBC Media

Red Carpet Screening of 'Poldark' S2 in Cornwall

Photo: Robert Viglasky

St Austell is to host a red carpet event and screening of Poldark S2 with cast members Aidan Turner (Ross), Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza) and Jack Farthing (George Warleggan) all attending. The event is on Sunday 4 September with the red carpet starting around 6pm and the screening at 7pm.  Writer Debbie Horsfield and executive producers Damien Timmer and Karen Thrussel will also be there.

Futher details and tickets are available on the BBC site. Please read the details thoroughly as only the first 100 ticket holders to arrive will line the red carpet, though all audience members will see the cast during the event.

Poldark S2 premieres in the UK on BBC1 on Sunday 4 September 2016 at 9pm.

'Inside Poldark' Special for US Fans

US fans!  Get in the mood for season two with Inside Poldark, a PBS special!

PBS says:
'Relive the thrilling first season of the swashbuckling romantic series with hints of what’s to come for the dashing Captain Ross Poldark. Featuring cast and creator interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and the spectacular Cornish coastline.'

This 90 minute special will be shown during August/September at different times on different PBS stations. Here are a few:

APT - Sunday 21 Aug. 6.30pm and Sat 27 Aug. 9.30pm

IPTV - Sunday 25 Sept 5.30 pm

KCTS9 - Thurs 25 Aug 7 pm and Sun 28 Aug 8pm

KET - Sunday 28 Aug 10.30 pm

OPB - Sun 4 Sept 8pm and Tues 6 September 1am

VPT - Sun 28 Aug. 8 pm and Mon 29 Aug. 2.30 am

WMHT - Sunday 28 Aug. 9pm

WTTW - Monday 22 Aug. 9pm

Poldark returns to Masterpiece with a two-hour premiere on 25 September, 2016.

Updated 10 Aug 2016:  Looks like there's another programme too:

Unlocking Poldark or Poldark Revealed  of which PBS says: 'Follow the cast and crew of Poldark on location in beautiful Cornwall, England. See how the writer, directors, and actors are working to re-create the magic of the original TV series.'

Thanks to Melissa James for this extra information.

'Poldark' Brand Guide

This style and brand guide for Poldark gives ITV Studios guidance on the logo, font and colour palette recommended when promoting the drama, as well as print formats and best practice.

The guide is designed and produced by LCDesign for ITV Studios. While Poldark is a Mammoth Screen production for BBC One, it is sold internationally by ITVStudios Global Entertainment.

Image: LCDesign

Image: LCDesign

Image: LCDesign

Image: LCDesign

'Poldark' Series Two Page on BBC Website

 At last! A trailer from BBC One for Poldark S2.   And the Poldark page on BBC One's website is up and running. There's not much on it yet but if you want to take a gander just follow this link.

Updated 6 Sept. 2016

First Look at 'Jeremy Poldark' and 'Warleggan' TV Tie-Ins

With Series Two of Poldark about to air in the UK, publishers Pan Macmillan are producing TV tie-ins of the books the series will cover:  Jeremy Poldark and Warleggan.

The TV tie-in versions of Jeremy Poldark and Warleggan are now available for pre-order.  The books costs £7.99 each from Amazon and will be released on 8 September, 2016.  Follow the links to order Jeremy Poldark and/or Warleggan.

The cover of Jeremy Poldark features Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson as Ross and Demelza while Warleggan features Jack farthing as, of course, George Warleggan.