Clip: Poldark S5 Episode 4

Ross's warning for Tess
Morwenna smiles as she begins to teach the children. Over at Nampara Ross warns Tess that he isn't as generous as his wife.

Source:
bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2019 BBC

Trailer: Poldark - Series 5, Episode 3

First love blossoms but a disaster in Cornwall threatens the Poldarks' hopes of lying low.

Source:
bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2019 BBC

Poldark S5 Episode 3 Clip: Why do you Smile?

"Why do you smile?" Ross and Demelza share a tender moment in their beloved Cornwall. Ross reads a note which darkens his mood. Via BBC One Poldark website.

Source:
bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2019 BBC

'Poldark' Series Five Opens to 4.6 Million

Photo: BBC

Poldark series five opened last night to an audience of 4.6 million, according to Broadcast Now, winning the 9 pm slot. While slightly down on the 4.7 m who watched the opener for series 4, the audience share was exactly the same at 22.7%.  Interestingly, Series two also opened to a 22.7% share (5.1m).

The number of viewers tuning in to Poldark  at 9pm easily topped those of  Beecham House (1.8m  8.9%)  which was showing on ITV at the same time.

Trailer for 'Poldark' S5 Episode 2

"What do you know of my wife?" Ross brings up Elizabeth while discussing Geoffrey Charles' future.

Source:
bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2019 BBC

Poldark Series Five Episode One Trailer

"To Elizabeth" Geoffrey Charles hosts dinner at Trenwith to honour the Poldarks and his late mother. Poldark returns to BBC One Sunday 14 July at 9pm.

Source:
bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2019 BBC

Writer Debbie Horsfield Introduces 'Poldark' Series Five

When I first picked up the novel Ross Poldark in 2012 I had no idea that seven years later I’d have adapted seven books and completed five series (43 hours!) of Winston Graham’s extraordinary Poldark saga. In 2015, with great trepidation, we awaited the response to series one. Knowing that the 1970s adaptation had been massively popular, and praying that we’d done justice to these amazing stories, characters and Cornwall. Fortunately the casting – Aidan (Turner), Eleanor (Tomlinson), Jack (Farthing), Heida (Reed), Luke (Norris), Kyle (Soller), Beatie (Edney) and Ruby (Bentall) - found favour with audiences, and to our great delight we were asked for more. Although none of us ever dared to look more than one series ahead, we found ourselves approaching the end of series four (and book seven, The Angry Tide) with something of a dilemma. Our cast was optioned for five series – so what to do with an 11-year time jump and five more books? We knew we’d never be able to wrap up five books in a single series, but no-one wanted to call time just yet, so we looked at another option.

In book eight (The Stranger from the Sea), 11 years down the line, we meet Ross abroad on a special
mission for the government. How did he go from restless, sometimes reckless and somewhat disillusioned MP, who despaired of ever really “making a difference” in the world, to Special Agent Poldark sent by the Crown to report from Portugal on the Peninsula War against Napoleon. Winston Graham had left plenty of hints in book eight about events which had happened in those intervening years, but he gives little away about how Ross achieved that transformation. So for me it was the starting point, the way to navigate through series five.  Winston Graham’s son Andrew endorsed my wish to continue his father’s methodology - looking at the historical context (Napoleonic Wars, Act of Union, fast-approaching Abolition of Slavery) and using real events and real people to drive the narrative. So what would be our events and who would be our new characters?  It seemed to me that one thing we had never met so far was a character to whom Ross really looked up to, even to the extent of hero-worship. So when I was researching the early 1800s I came across Colonel Edward Despard. Reading about him I was so reminded of Ross himself that I felt sure Winton Graham knew of him (though Andrew Graham thinks not). Ned Despard was a war hero who, like Ross believed in justice, compassion, equality and liberty for all. His wife Catherine was a former slave from Jamaica. And her rise to be his equal, her determination in the face of prejudice and scorn was uncannily reminiscent of Demelza’s own journey. As was the love and
devotion both couples felt for each other. I wanted Ned to be part of Ross’ journey towards greater maturity, to be the salutary lesson, his “there but for the grace of God”.  Tracing Despard and Catherine’s real life story, intertwining it with Ross and Demelza’s and seeing them deal with the consequences of that entanglement forms the spine of series five, and introduces on the way other real-life characters such as James Hadfield (would-be assassin of George III), William Wickham (founder of the British foreign secret service) and Joseph Merceron (the “Godfather” of East London). Inextricably involved with Ross and Demelza’s journey are Ross’s nemesis George Warleggan, as well as friends and allies Dwight and Caroline Enys, Sam, Drake and Morwenna Carne.

It feels strange, and a little sad, to be approaching the transmission of series five knowing that we won’t be returning to Cornwall, but it’s been an extraordinary journey for all of us and we feel truly fortunate to have lived with these characters and stories for so long. What’s next for me? Watch this space. Not a tricorn in sight. I’m excited for the next project - but I’ll miss that Cornish surf!

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Tom York on 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Source:  BBC Press Pack

Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Sofia Oxenham joins the cast of Poldark this series as the rabble-rousing troublemaker, Tess Tregidden. Being from Cornwall herself, Sofia admits she was incredibly excited to land this 

Photo: BBC

role: ‘Not only do they film Poldark in Cornwall, but they also told me when I auditioned that this character, Tess, is from Cornwall, which is where I am from so that naturally resonated with me. Everyone in Cornwall loves Poldark, including my friends and family who were equally as excited as I was. Tess is very feisty and sees herself as a leader so I was over the moon at the thought of stepping into her shoes. I was nervous to join the cast but as soon as I stepped on set that first day everyone made the newcomers feel very welcome.’

Sofia reveals that audiences can expect a lot of drama from this ‘firecracker’: ‘Tess was described by Debbie (Horsfield) as fierce, spirited and uncomfortably restrained by her maid’s uniform and that perfectly sums her up.  She is very layered; throughout the series she presents herself as numerous different characters, which makes people think she may have changed for the better and that her motives aren’t the same as what they previously were. However, Tess is a master manipulator.

‘Demelza thinks she can help Tess and change her troublesome ways, but in order to do so she needs Tess around her so she employs her as a farm hand at Nampara, helping Prudie (Beatie Edney) and doing extra work for them. There is a glimmer of something Demelza recognises, possibly from a past version of herself, in Tess and she really wants to help guide her. However, Tess is hugely bitter of those who have it easier than her, especially people like Demelza who once walked in Tess’s shoes. The resentment from Tess is so strong that the more Demelza tries to help her, the more Tess ends up hating her.’

Sofia discloses that Tess sets her sights on the eldest of Demelza’s brothers, Sam Carne (Tom York): ‘Whilst Tess does actually fancy Sam, more importantly she thinks she can use him to her advantage. She is sure that if she plays the role of this holier than thou girl in need of saving he won’t be able to resist helping her and in turn she will be able to control him.

Sofia explains that Tess takes on a leading role in stirring up trouble this series: ‘Tess is causing unrest in the mine, purposely winding people up in order to anger them enough to speak up and demand more.

Sofia recalls a hilarious moment from filming that she won’t soon forget: ‘Just before Christmas we were filming a big celebratory dinner at Nampara and a lot of the cast were involved. Prudie and Tess were serving everyone and at one point Tess steals a bit of cake and starts eating it. So Prudie is meant to shove her quickly out of the view of the rest of the dinner guests. Beatie literally barrelled me over in one swoop but no one knew she was going to do this, so it seemed as if she had just shoved me out of the room out of no where. No one could contain their laughter.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Tom York on 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'

Source:  BBC Press Pack

Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'

Photo: BBC

Lily Dodsworth-Evans joins the cast of Poldark, as Cecily Hanson, a smart and competent young woman with ideas ahead of her time: ‘Cecily Hanson is a young lady who has raised herself for the last eight years. She has educated herself, she is intelligent and self-reliant, and she is very modern for the time. She reads Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women and is part of the anti-slavery movement.

‘When we first meet Cecily she is with her father who has only just come back from Honduras and they are very much strangers to each other. When she was younger she didn’t really know him as he was always off working but she is pretty sure she doesn’t like him. At the same time she is willing to give things a go, deep down she yearns for some sort of relationship with her father as her mother has passed away.’

Lily tells explains what drew her to this role: ‘It was Cecily’s strength that made me want to play her. She really goes through it this series; it is a constant tug of war with her father and with what is expected of her. She is so strong but she still makes mistakes as she is young and although she has a very good understanding of the world she doesn’t necessarily know how to navigate it.

‘Cecily is very different; she is a modern woman and a feminist before feminism was really a thing.'

Lily describes how Cecily goes on an incredible journey of love and friendship with Geoffrey Charles Poldark (Freddie Wise): ‘She meets Geoffrey Charles and they become very good friends. Cecily is always so serious and is constantly trying to make a difference, to inflict change and achieve things but Geoffrey Charles opens up to her in a way she has never experienced and because of that she relaxes around him and is able to act her age a bit more.

'Within the relationship she doesn’t take on the typical role of the girl. She is the one telling him what to do most of the time and part of the reason they get on so well is because he listens to her whereas not many people would take a 16 year old girl seriously at that time.

‘Geoffrey Charles is going through a lot at the beginning of this series and doing things he shouldn’t be doing and Cecily makes him wake up to the bigger picture and to the world that is out there. She makes him realise that what he thinks is suffering is nothing in comparison to slaves in Honduras who are being starved to death because it is cheaper to let them die than to try and save their lives. The two of them are so different that they bring out parts of each other that they haven’t even really explored themselves yet.  That’s part of why they’re drawn to each other.’

‘However, Ralph, her father, has every intention of marrying her off to someone for business purposes. So when he sees this interest between Cecily and Geoffrey he tries to squash it and although they try everything they can to be together Ralph is always one step ahead.’

Lily tells us what it was like working alongside fellow newcomer to the Poldark cast this series, Freddie Wise: ‘We met at the chemistry read and we got on really well. He is lovely and open and at the beginning we discussed our characters and their incredible love story. The very first scene we did together was a romantic moment on a beach in Cornwall where we battled against the wind, the rain and the sand. I kept thinking I was going to fall down a sand dune at any moment and this was a monumental moment in their epic story! I was thrown in at the deep end and it was really scary but also so much fun. That was my first day on set so I guess I started with a bang.’

Lily reveals she has been incredibly surprised and humbled by the support from Poldark fans already: ‘I was amazed in Cornwall, even when it was cold and rainy fans were there and would come to see us filming. I met someone who had been to every location, from Bristol to Cornwall basically along with us. It is nice; they’re all such lovely fans. It is a bit daunting because you really want them to like you. Audiences will see a love story happen with Cecily and Geoffrey Charles and  I hope people will be rooting for them.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Tom York on 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Source:  BBC Press Pack

Remaining 'Poldark' Books get TV Tie Ins

Here's some fabulous news, Poldarlings!

Publishers Pan Macmillan are bringing out the remainder of Winston Graham's Poldark books to tie in with the TV show! In the past they have given us the first seven books: Ross Poldark; Demelza: Warleggan; Jeremy Poldark; The Black Moon; The Four Swans; and The Angry Tide. Now the final five books, The Stranger from the Sea; The Miller's Dance; The Loving Cup; The Twisted Sword; and Bella Poldark are about to be published too!

The Stranger from the Sea and The Miller's Dance are available from 11 July with The Loving Cup, The Twisted Sword, and Bella Poldark following on 25 July.

Details of stockists can be found by clicking on the 'Buy' button at   https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/winston-graham/the-stranger-from-the-sea/9781509856985 

Meanwhile, here's a sneak peek at the covers.

Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark

Photo: BBC Poldark trailer

Freddie Wise is still in shock after landing the role of an older but not necessarily wiser Geoffrey Charles in the final series of Poldark. He explains just how much it means to him to join the cast of such a popular BBC show: ‘Being told I had got the role of Geoffrey Charles was surreal because 99.9% of your time as an actor is spent being rejected so when you experience success it feels a little odd at first! My mum and my sister are huge Poldark fans so were quite aggressive in their well wishings for my auditions. I genuinely still can’t believe that I am in a show that is going to be seen by so many people! Everyone on set was so lovely that when I was filming I was allowed to just be in the moment and tell the story without feeling any pressure.’

Freddie describes what is in store for Geoffrey Charles is at the start of the new series: ‘When you meet Geoffrey Charles at the beginning of the series he is very lost, particularly after losing his mother, Elizabeth (Heida Reed) at the end of series four. At the same time he is a product of his upbringing, everything is repressed and the way to deal with things is by drinking or spending money you don’t have and doing material things to avoid dealing with any of the real emotional aspects of it all. He is trying to find a purpose and he looks up to Ross (Aidan Turner) and has always wanted to see himself as this kind of alpha male type so he decides he wants to join the military at Great Marlow to prove to himself that he can be a man with purpose, as the idea is that when you are an officer you are a gentleman. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or what class you belong to, that is your status and that appeals greatly to him.’

Having never been welcomed or loved by his stepfather, George Warleggan (Jack Farthing), Freddie explains that the relationship between these two is as fractious as ever. ‘Their relationship is very contentious; they despise each other. When you are young, if someone sees you in a certain way you tend to play up to that. George sees Geoffrey Charles as a spoiled brat and so whenever he is in the company of George he will play up to that picture of himself and succumb to it. Those moments to film were amazing for me as Jack is such a brilliant actor.

‘Geoffrey Charles is much more similar to George than he would care to admit. They’re both obsessed with the family name, they’re both silently obsessed with status and they are also both grieving and unable to properly deal with that.  Both of them share this immense grief but neither of them would address it with the other, certainly not in a way that is caring.’

Photo: BBC

Whilst Geoffrey Charles’s relationship with George is antagonistic at best, he has a bond with and admiration for Ross and Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) that is even stronger this series: ‘Geoffrey’s relationship with Ross is very strong and what is interesting is that he would always look up to Ross as the man he should aspire to be but he also starts to realise this series how much Demelza has, behind the scenes, done for him. She was there for him when he was sick and he realises that she has actually been an important person in his life and he hasn’t shown her the gratitude he should have. Scenes with Ross were easy to play because when you have Aidan Turner putting his arm around you and acting brotherly it feels great and is similar to what Geoffrey Charles is feeling.’

Freddie reveals that Geoffrey falls in love this series with a fiery and independent young lady, Cecily Hanson (Lily Dodsworth-Evans): ‘When Geoffrey Charles first meets Cecily he tries his luck with her and is shut down which causes him to come crashing down back to reality and realise that he is not nearly as cool as he would like to think. When they meet each other again they develop a companionship that neither of them have had with anyone their own age. To have someone they are equal with is new and exciting and they start this wonderful friendship.

‘Soon however he develops feelings for her as she shows him that it is ok to be the person he really is, which is a sensitive young man and an emotionally engaged, vulnerable person. She also allows him to see that there are problems in the world far greater than his and she teaches him to be a lot less selfish. When you find true love that person is meant to make you want to be the best version of yourself and that is what happens subconsciously for Geoffrey Charles when he meets Cecily.’


Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Tom York on 'Poldark' Series Five
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'


Source:  BBC Press Pack

Tom York on 'Poldark' Series Five

Photo: Tom York

Tom York reveals he might like to play a villainous character next, after portraying the pious Methodist, Sam Carne, in Poldark: ‘I would love to play a baddie! Sam is very earnest and sincere and although he is not always right you know that his heart is always in the best place, which is a wonderful thing and definitely something I have really loved about playing him. Sam has taught me to have faith in the way things will work out and that it is not always about making the right decision but more about making the best decision you can. He is a good man and he has opened me up and made me a better person but it would be really fun to play someone next with a bit of darkness in them!’

Tom discusses what is in store for Sam in the final series of the much loved drama: ’There are still the same problems in Cornwall with people struggling to earn enough money to feed their families, and so at the start we find Sam prompted by Demelza to take charge of things a little bit more, to find a way of helping the people who are in need all around him.

‘The Methodists at the time had a reputation of working and enabling through education and we pay homage to that in Poldark as Sam starts to set up a school and he wants to teach young people how to read in the hopes that being literate will open doors of opportunity and maybe lead to a better life.’

Photo: BBC

Tom reveals a little about the drama that unfolds with Sam’s turbulent love life this series: ‘He
has been left by Emma so he now has the opportunity to find a new love if it is out there. Rosina catches Sam’s eye quite early on, even before the prompting really starts from the family. He is aware of her, she is a God fearing girl, she is a good woman and is obviously beautiful so it doesn’t take too much persuading for Sam to go down that line of thinking and his heart starts to open up towards her.'

Tom talks about what it was like to join the show with his on-screen brother, Harry Richardson, and to experience the ride together: ‘Harry and I have a real brotherly bond. This experience has been a rollercoaster and I am so grateful for Harry and for everything we have gone through together. To have that brother in crime and to be able to bounce off each other and to experience all of this alongside such a good friend has been really special. I will definitely miss him.’

Working alongside friends isn’t all Tom is going to miss: ‘I am really going to miss Cornwall. I love everything we do in Cornwall, especially in Swale. Everything you get down there you get for free, you are just out in the world and it is so beautiful and rich. There is a wedding this series and we had a specific plan all mapped out for the scene but then it poured with rain so we had to scrap all of the ideas we had planned and do something else entirely. We were all huddled together to escape the rain which obviously made us all giggle and it just felt like a real moment caught on camera rather than a scene we were shooting. That was my favourite moment from filming this series.’

Tom reveals why he thinks people will love the final series: ‘We have seen what Debbie (Horsfield) can do when she has Winston Graham’s wonderful books to work off and this series we get to see what Debbie can do when she has free rein. The final series of Poldark is jam packed with action, excitement, drama and love. More so than ever, this series has so much to offer.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'


Source:  BBC Press Pack

Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five

Photo:  BBC

Harry Richardson better known as Drake Carne recalls some of the wild and adventurous days he had filming the final series of Poldark: ‘There is a horrendous accident at one of the neighbouring mines this series and so Ross (Aidan Turner) and the gang head straight there to do their best to try and save people. It was amazing. Anytime we go down the mines and end up in these caves it is such an adventure. Sometimes the mines are real and we shoot on location and that is very spooky because we go deep underground through these tunnels. Sometimes they are mines built from scratch on giant sets made from rocks and polystyrene that are painted and are so believable that you are completely displaced when you’re in there, you feel like you are underground which adds to the fun as you are in this incredible space with a bunch of excitable guys. They gave us all tools or weapons and sent us on a mission, it felt like playing as a little boy again.’

Harry explains that while Poldark may be coming to an end, his visits to Cornwall are most definitely not: ‘I will seriously miss the beautiful locations we’ve been so lucky to film in. Cornwall is such an important character in this show and a beautiful landscape. I am definitely going to have to go back of my own accord and holiday there as it is home to some of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Cornwall can’t get rid of me that easily.’

Photo: BBC

Harry reveals what’s in store this series for Drake, including an incredibly bold and reckless decision he makes in the hope of healing the one he loves: ‘At the beginning of the series Drake and Morwenna (Ellise Chappell) have just gotten married and are very much in love but still find the ghost of Ossie and the trauma he caused lingering over their relationship. So it is a beautiful place to start, gently figuring out how to heal each other and love each other. Drake is desperately trying to help ease Morwenna through her troubles and to tackle the demons that still hang over her and that leads him to make an incredibly bold but foolish move. He is just doing everything he can to heal the person he loves.’

Morwenna and Drake have come on an incredible journey since we first met them in series three. Harry discusses what it is like to play such different versions of these characters and the challenges that posits: ‘The biggest challenge this year for me and for Drake has been patience. Drake has to constantly have an open heart and be understanding and patient with Morwenna as it is not fast moving or dramatic dealing with trauma in someone’s heart, it is very slow paced and open. Debbie (Horsfield) has written some beautiful scenes surrounding the idea of helping someone through PTSD without knowing it was even a thing back then. Those moments were a joy to film with Ellise but it was definitely challenging getting used to a much slower place for the two of them in comparison to when they were younger and it was all guns blazing. They were falling in love and nearly dying, whereas in this series their relationship is more complex and tender, trying to get Morwenna back on her feet and find peace again.

‘Working alongside Ellise has been the best experience. We are incredible friends and I couldn’t have asked for anyone lovelier to create this love story with. She has always been really patient with me and equally as bonkers.’

Playing Drake Carne has taught Harry to be a kinder human being: ‘No matter what situation Drake finds himself in, he operates from a place of kindness and open heartedness and so playing him has set a bar for how open hearted and devoted one can be. He makes me aspire to be nicer and kinder and whilst I don’t know if anyone is as sweet as Morwenna and Drake, we can try.

‘As an actor playing Drake has taught me how to stay with a character over a long period. We shot for three years, which has been amazing but it takes a lot of focus to stay with someone and you have responsibility to keep that character up. He also taught me how to grow in a role, Drake goes on such a journey over three years and Ellise and I had to figure out how to take the characters we created in series three and evolve with them as they have grown up.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'


Source:  BBC Press Pack

Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five

Photo: Ellise Chappell

Stepping back into the shoes of her character for the final time, Ellise Chappell reflects on Morwenna Carne’s incredibly turbulent journey over the past three series: ‘I hadn’t read the Poldark books before I signed on to play Morwenna so I didn’t know anything about what happens to her, all I knew was that she was this open-hearted character with a zest for life who falls in love with Drake Carne (Harry Richardson), this lovely, gentle man from the wrong class. So to then discover that she goes on this intense, rocky journey was both amazing and challenging. Morwenna goes through so much and I wanted to do her justice because these storylines are so important. What I will take away with me is just the experience of going through it, of doing the research and feeling so passionately about this role and caring so much about her, I didn’t think I could ever feel this deeply about a character. It was an emotional experience and that level of empathy is amazing and is something I will definitely keep with me.’

Ellise discusses where we find Morwenna at the offset of the new series and what is in store for her: 'It was wonderful to come back into a different world this series, as in series three and four Morwenna had been in Warleggan world and then Whitworth world so to be in Sawle with the Carnes and Poldarks this year was really different but it felt right and where she was supposed to be.

‘When we see Morwenna at the start she has just got married to Drake which is so joyous and lovely but we pick up with them in their marriage trying to work through this wall between them which is Morwenna’s past trauma. This series is about Morwenna’s healing and how she deals with the recovery from this trauma.’

Ellise touches on some of the heart wrenching moments this series when Morwenna tries to reconnect with her son: ‘Last series Morwenna was put in a position where she felt there was no other choice than to leave the situation she was in and that meant leaving her son, John Conan. If she had stayed she would likely have ended up in an asylum so she had to reach that choice to leave which was heartbreaking for her and we revisit that this series. In terms of her journey and her healing, facing the loss she has felt which is not just the loss of her son but also of aspects of her livelihood, personality, time and happiness, she has to revisit that and grieve for it. John Conan is very much a part of that, she needs to reconnect with him in order to experience that part of her healing and trauma recovery.'

Photo: BBC

One way in which Morwenna begins to heal this series is through finding her calling as a teacher: ‘Morwenna helps start a school to teach the young children in the community to read so they can hopefully one day make something better of themselves. Up until this point Morwenna had spent so long being isolated with no real purpose, stuck in that life as a Whitworth. Now she is in a new environment where she is again an outsider because she is not one of the villagers and she is seen as this lady who doesn’t belong there. So to be able to offer something, to use her skills and have a real purpose is an incredible thing for her. That is where she started; she began as a governess to Geoffrey Charles so to be able to use those skills to help people and to focus her attention on something good is wonderful.’

Ellise reveals an incredibly special token she will be taking with her from her time on Poldark: ‘When I first read the scripts in series three it said in the stage directions that “Morwenna sits reading Cecilia” and I thought it was a lovely little detail that the book had been specified and I had a really old version of that book on set that I was reading in a scene with Ossie. It is also the book I used in series four, after the hanging scene, where I come back and I am pretending to read. So I asked if I could take home a few of the old books Morwenna would read and on one of my final days of shooting one of our wonderful props team handed me Cecilia and I opened it and it still had the pressed winter primroses that Drake sent to Morwenna in the front page which was incredible and that meant so much to me. I love collecting vintage books and so to have this one is very special. I also have my shell bracelet of course.’

Poldark returns to BBC One at 9 pm, Sunday 14 July.

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Source:  BBC Press Pack

Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'

Photo: BBC

Kerri McLean is proud to portray the strong-willed former slave Kitty Despard for the  final series of Poldark - a real woman wiped from our history books: ‘When I first researched Catherine Despard online and found that she was going around London in the early 1800s campaigning, writing, and giving talks I just thought 'what a woman'. She is one of those unheard voices of history. Period drama has traditionally not shown black characters and so it is a real honour to play her and I have felt a responsibility to do a good job. I am proud and feel enormously lucky to have been given this role.

‘Kitty is a formidable woman; very determined and intelligent, she is strategic and knows how to play the long game. When we meet Kitty she has been in London for a year and her husband, Ned (Vincent Regan), has had his governorship taken away and has been wrongfully imprisoned. Kitty is going all over London campaigning and trying to convince people to help get Ned released. She is having no luck and so as a last result Ned advises her to contact a friend of his from the revolutionary war in America, Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner). Kitty recognises the name as he is an MP and is well known but she is also a bit wary of him as she has an inkling of what these two are like together, which is a bit of a nightmare. But they’re out of options so she gets a carriage down to Cornwall and turns up on the Poldark’s doorstep asking for help. That’s when the mission begins.’

Kerri tells us how Kitty and Ned came to meet and what it was like working alongside Vincent Regan: ‘Kitty is Jamaican and with her mother, who was a slave, she went to Honduras to work and when Kitty was about 13 her mother begged her current master to sell her and she ended up working as a kitchen maid for Ned, a governor. They were in close quarters and when Ned got ill with a fever Kitty nursed him back to health and they fell for each other, so when Kitty fell pregnant they decided to get married. They have this amazing relationship and they really do love each other, they didn’t marry for convenience or to strengthen a family standing, they married for love and I hope that is very strong when you see us on screen.

‘I remember the first day I met Vincent, we got in the car on my first day of work and started chatting and we just hit it off from then on. He is such a strong actor that I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside him. He is also a lovely man and now friend.’

Photo: BBC

New to Cornwall, Kitty is welcomed by some but not by all. Kerri reveals a little about Kitty’s relationships with Poldark’s key characters: ‘When Kitty meets Ross there is an immediate understanding that she is Ned’s wife and so he takes her in without hesitation and they get on right away. Early on Ross and Dwight (Luke Norris) come to see Kitty speak and are impressed. They realise she is not a passive woman, she has been out in London on her own for a year. London was a major city and there were not a lot of black people around but she very much could stand on her own two feet and Ross recognises that in her. When Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) first meets Kitty she is a little thrown but there is a mirroring between the two characters as it is established that they were both maids who fell in love with and married their masters and for both of these women, that now puts them in a very different social class. So there is a natural bond they share with each other.

‘When Kitty meets Dwight there is a little twinkle in their eye, she genuinely enjoys his company, she likes his intelligence and his emotional depth. Dwight is rather fascinated with Kitty and the two spend a lot of time together, causing some problems between Dwight and Caroline (Gabriella Wilde).  When Kitty first meets Caroline she realises that she and Dwight are quite different and that Caroline keeps her emotions close to her chest. However, Caroline is a good person and she really takes to Kitty. After being so appalled with the way the upper classes are treating Kitty when she is around town Caroline even decided to hold a ball to introduce her into society.’

Kerri tells us about her favourite moments from filming: ‘One of my favourite days of filming was the day we were shooting a scene in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. Kitty spends most of her time in a dowdy dress as Ned has had his income stopped and we don’t have much money, but for this scene I got to wear a beautiful brown dress that I felt amazing in. The scene is pretty hard-core with everyone thinking Kitty is a prostitute and looking down on her so it was tough to film but being in that dress made me feel so confident.  Although I got a terrible cold from this, another favourite moment from filming was the incredible moment when Kitty comes face to face with someone she has a traumatic history with and we have this incredibly tense standoff.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'


Source:  BBC Press Pack

Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'

Pic: Sunday Times

Vincent Regan joins the final series of Poldark as Ned Despard, a dynamic and impassioned historical figure set to shake things up. He explains: ‘Edward Despard was a fascinating person and his story fits incredibly well into the world of Poldark. Playing him was interesting as he is a real person amongst the fictionalised characters in the series and the fact is that he had a real, poignant story and so I felt there was a gravitas to him that was given to me by history. Ned’s story is very much about an historical miscarriage of justice and so there felt a real weight to him. Debbie Horsfield has taken the story of Ned Despard but given a more impetuous quality to him that links him to Ross in a way because Ross (Aidan Turner) is renowned for his impetuous behaviour. Also, Ned was Ross’s ranking officer in the American Revolutionary War and having fought together they have that camaraderie that veterans have.’

Vincent tells us what it was like working alongside Aidan: ‘Aidan has inhabited Ross Poldark for four years so he knows the character very well and also he knows the filmmakers and crew, but he is a very generous actor and he listens, which is such a great quality, so he was an easy actor to work with. We got to film some exciting moments involving the mines and there are some fights this series. There is a fair bit of action but a lot of the series is set in London, as that is where the danger is for Ned.’

Photo: BBC

Vincent explains that Ned doesn’t always seem to realise when danger is afoot: ‘Ned is one of those characters who believes the best in people, a little bit naïve in a way, he doesn’t realise that people are manipulating him in certain ways. He doesn’t see the puppeteer.

‘There are people who want him out the way – he is a trouble maker, an abolitionist who believes in a fair wage for a fair days work and in giving land to freed slaves in the colonies so basically he is doing everything the colonists and imperial powers don’t want. They want to exploit the colonies for everything they can get and because they see him as a threat to their business interests they try and get him done away with. And when he gets to England they trump up charges against him and make out that he is seditious and revolutionary.’

Ned's wife is a courageous former slave who spends the series campaigning for her husband’s freedom in an unwelcoming city: ‘It is extraordinary; Ned freed Kitty (Kerri McLean) from slavery, married her and had a child with her. It was a mixed race marriage 200 years ago which is quite extraordinary and hints at what a modern and forward thinking man Ned was. Kitty is a very strong woman who matched him and when he was thrown in jail when he first returned she went round lobbying to have him released and she would have been treated so badly in English society at the time because society was openly racist. So she was a hugely brave person. She was sadly written out of history so we don’t even know what happened to her.’

Vincent explains about the important history being covered in the final series of Poldark and the relevance of this today: ‘What is going to be interesting is when the audience realise this was a real person. It is important for people to know this history and I am hopeful it will spur people on to find out more. I am from east Yorkshire where the abolitionist movement began - William Wilberforce was from Hull.  Slavery was abolished in England way before it was in the USA because it didn’t impact as much on the economy of the UK as it did in the US. The reason the civil war was fought was due to the issue of slavery and that is about business needs and equality for all people – they don’t work well together and that is something that is so interesting and makes Debbie so current with what she has done with her writing this series. Ned is in trouble because big business wants to exploit land and workers and so if you delve deeper and peel away some of the layers of the story you can see the social issues which are as relevant now as they were then. So not only is Poldark beautiful to watch on screen and an exciting drama but it is always so relevant.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'
Source:  BBC Press Pack

Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five

Photo: BBC

Returning  to the role of Caroline Enys  for the last time, Gabriella Wilde admits she loves playing a character who is consistently full of surprises:‘It has been nice to play a strong woman who has so many layers to her and who is not necessarily what she initially appears. She seems to be this heiress with a lack of substance but she keeps revealing more of herself and so we learn that that is not necessarily the case. Also it has been lovely as an actress to play a role for four years – before Caroline, the longest time I had spent with a character is about four months. It is a very different experience to keep revisiting someone and take them through such a large chunk of their life in so much detail.

‘Caroline has grown so much since we first met her. Every series we see her come up against something new and the multiple, different sides of her that has brought out have been interesting to explore. You do your work as an actor, to understand the depths and layers of the role you are playing but to actually have the opportunity to show these different sides to her has been great.’

Gabriella explains: ‘Whilst I have loved the heavier story lines and going through all of those emotions as Caroline, I also love when she is naughty and sharp. It is fun to play a character who is bright in that way. She has been a constant surprise.’

Photo: Gabriella Wilde

Gabriella reveals what is in store for Caroline this series, revealing that she becomes rather jealous of a new addition to Cornwall, Kitty Despard (Kerri McLean), who seems to have caught the attention of Caroline’s husband, Dr. Dwight Enys (Luke Norris):‘At the start of the new series Caroline is in Cornwall, still recovering from the loss of her daughter Sarah, although quite internally. Dwight and her are trying to reconnect and rebuild their relationship and whilst neither of them has fully recovered from the loss of their child, which for Caroline has manifested in insecurity, they are trying to find a way to be happy together once again.

‘The arrival of Kitty Despard throws up a lot of those insecurities for Caroline and shows the cracks in their relationship. What is difficult is that Caroline really does admire Kitty, she admires a strong woman but she also feels that Kitty is a lot of things that she isn’t, which is a very tough thing for her to wrap her head around and it is a trigger for a lot of different things that happen this series.

‘The most challenging thing was understanding and getting right Caroline’s respect and awe for Kitty but also the insecurity and jealousy she feels because of her. It was a case of her grappling with self-awareness, trying to understand why she is feeling this way and admitting it to herself or not and how that plays out. It is a very real scenario as people are often jealous or insecure due to reasons that go slightly deeper, because something else is going on with them – so it was challenging trying to make sure that was played out correctly.’

Kitty Despard is on a dangerous mission to vindicate her husband, Ned (Vincent Regan), who has been wrongfully imprisoned. Gabriella discusses why Caroline joins the fight for Ned’s freedom despite her complicated feelings: ‘There are layers as to why Caroline joins the fight for Ned’s liberation – on one level she enjoys doing things that are surprising, that stir people up a little and that people wouldn’t necessarily expect from her because she enjoys that element of rebellion. She also does have very strong morals and ethics and she does not agree with the way the Despards are being treated. She is a powerful woman so she wants to use that to help them. On a very base level, she also wants to be around Dwight and Kitty because she is insecure about it and wants to be present within the action, to be involved in what is going on to make herself feel better.’

Gabriella talks about what it was like to return for the final time to film Poldark and the friendships she has formed on this show: ‘It was strange but it still doesn’t feel like it is over; I don’t think it will hit me until September when we don’t go back to filming. This year felt different. Even getting the scripts through was a different experience because we didn’t know what they were going to entail, as it is the first series not based on the books.

'Poldark has such a lovely cast and crew and so going to work every day with this group of people I have become so fond of is what I will miss the most. Luke (Norris) is a really good friend of mine and we have been lucky to get on so well. Outside of filming we have been going through the same things in life at similar times like having our children and so we have grown very close. It has been a real joy to work alongside him for these past few years. We will definitely stay in touch, it has been a huge portion of our lives and there have been friendships made that will last past Poldark.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
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Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Source: BBC Media Pack

Luke Norris Talks 'Poldark' Series Five

Gabriella Wilde, Luke Norris and Kerri McLean.
Photo: Kerri McLean

Returning for the final time to play Poldark’s most trusted doctor, Dwight Enys, Luke Norris reveals there is trouble ahead for Dr Enys and his wife, Caroline, this series:‘Caroline (Gabriella Wilde) and Dwight reached an uneasy equilibrium at the end of last series and things are slowly getting back to normal until some new and disruptive characters enter their world, one of whom unintentionally drives a wedge between them.

‘Kitty Despard (Kerri McLean) arrives this series with this firebrand spirit and Dwight becomes
unromantically smitten with her. This naturally causes Caroline to create narratives about him being in love with Kitty when really it is just a deep admiration he has for her, for her story and her plight.'


Luke discusses what is in store for his character this series, starting with his interest in mental health and where that leads him:‘Mental illness is a hot and important topic at the moment which is one of the reasons why our writer, Debbie Horsfield has included it this series but back then it was ungenerously treated. However, there was a new school of thought about talking therapy, rather than just straight jacketing or lobotomising people this instead suggested the idea that mental illness wasn’t a moral failure or an inherited one but that it can effect anyone who has been through trauma, which is something that interests Dwight. Having gone through his own trauma in series three, suffering from PTSD after being a prisoner of war in France, he is the obvious exponent of this new school of thought.

‘Dwight’s own experience sparked an interest in mental health that has equipped him with a proficiency in the field which leads him to being the key witness for the defence in a contentious murder trial. This storyline is based on a true story of a man who attempts to assassinate the King. Dwight’s argument is that if he is not of sound mind then he cannot be held responsible for his actions, which is something we believe to be self-evident now but was incredibly shocking to people at the time.’

Photo: BBC

Considered to be one of Poldark’s most honourable characters, Luke reveals that audiences will see a brand new side to the noble doctor this series:‘Debbie reminds us at the end of this series that Dwight has not always been squeaky clean and the reason he has appeared so good in the past few series is because of a fundamental error of judgement in series one with Keren Daniel and everything afterwards is an attempt at atonement for that.

‘One of Dwight’s first ever lines in Poldark is “I intend to keep my head down here” which just shows you how much he wants a quiet life but is unable to ever achieve that. This year however, he fights a bit harder for that life. He is not as generous as you might expect him to be with certain things this series because he is sick to the back teeth of the conflict. As a result, he struggles more this series with acquiescing to Ross’s plans and the two of them fiercely butt heads like we have never before seen. Aidan (Turner) and I have a few great scenes where we are nose to nose, which was great to play. After years of gentle cajoling, Dwight’s tactics this series are much more confrontational as he is just done with it and that is part of their friendship we haven’t seen yet, so it was exciting to lift the lid on that.’

Luke continues: ‘Ned Despard (Vincent Regan) was their commanding officer back in the American War of Independence and is a bit of a hot head and renegade – all the things Ross aspires to be and that Dwight loathes. So their differences are mainly about Ned who has this cross to bear and is righting perceived wrongs which are probably justifiable but which do not directly involve Dwight. However, he becomes involved due to Ross’s involvement but he would rather Ross stayed out of it for his sake, for Demelza’s sake and for the sake of their children. Dwight, partly because of the events of last year and having lost a child, is much more forthright in calling out Ross’s irresponsibility to his family. Dwight is angrier than he has ever been this year.’

Luke reveals a connection that struck a chord with him following the last series:‘After the tragic death of baby Sarah was aired I received one particular letter that was quite staggering and humbling to read. It was from someone who had lost a child and they talked about how honestly that story line had been depicted which was the aim for Gabriella and myself. I felt a responsibility with this story line, to not misrepresent that experience. Part of the reason that television is in everybody’s language is that it allows us to try and make sense of our own lives and we get to deal with heavy subjects on this show and whilst we do it through the glossy lens of TV with the beautiful landscapes, there is a huge responsibility to get it right.’

Luke offers a final thought on the success of Poldark...: ‘Its heart is in the right place. Poldark is a story about love conquering all and about courage and equality being rewarded and avarice and greed being punished and that is what we wish was happening in our society – it represents the good of our humanity.’

Related Links:
Aidan Turner Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Eleanor Tomlinson on 'Poldark' Series Five
Jack Farthing on the Final Series of 'Poldark'
Gabriella Wilde Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Vincent Regan is Ned Despard in 'Poldark'
Kerri McLean is Kitty Despard in 'Poldark'
Ellise Chappell on 'Poldark' Series Five
Harry Richardson Talks 'Poldark' Series Five
Freddie Wise is Geoffrey Charles Poldark
Lily Dodsworth-Evans is Cecily Hanson in 'Poldark'
Sofia Oxenham is Tess Tregidden in 'Poldark'

Source: BBC Media Pack