Saturday 30 December 2017

A Look Back at 2017


Poldark, BFI Radio Times Festival 2017, Aidan Turner, Damien Timmer, Debbie Horsfield
Damien Timmer, Aidan Turner and Debbie Horsfield at the BFI Radio Times Festival. Photo Radio Times
As we head towards the start of a New Year here's a look back at a handful of Poldark highlights from 2017.  In no particular order:
  • Fans flocked to the BFI and Radio Times Festival in April to see Aidan Turner, along with writer Debbie Horsfield and executive producer Damien Timmer at the oddly named session Ross Poldark: Old-fashioned Hero for a Modern World. While much of the interview had the air of déjà vu about it, I did find nine snippets to pass on to our readers and there were plenty of photos from the event. 

Poldark Preview Screening
Poldark Preview Screening  Photo: Evie Bowman
  • Just giving. One of my favourite things about production company Mammoth Screen is its support for charities. This year saw Poldark taking part in the Children in Need appeal with four CIN volunteers spending a day on the set.  Poldark prizes were given to charity auctions too including those held by LE Solidarity and Highgate has Heart, both of which help refugees. Ross's tricorn, signed by Aidan Turner, was a prize at a fundraiser lunch with Michael Parkinson for Cornwall Air Ambulance.
Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year and the hope of lots of Poldark loveliness in 2018 xxx


Poldark, Preview Screening , Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson
Poldark Preview Screening

Poldark Preview Screening 

Poldark Preview Screening  

Poldark, BFI Radio Times Festival 2017, Aidan Turner,
BFI Radio Times Festival
Poldark, BFI Radio Times Festival 2017, Aidan Turner,
BFI Radio Times Festival Photo: Evie Bowman
Poldark, BFI Radio Times Festival 2017, Aidan Turner,
BFI Radio Times Festival

Friday 29 December 2017

Wins for 'Poldark' in the Radio Times Reader Awards 2017
































Well done Poldark! Aidan Turner (Best Actor), Eleanor Tomlinson (Best Actress) and Harry Marcus (Breakout Talent) are all winners in the Radio Times Reader Awards 2017!  Poldark is runner-up to the excellent Peaky Blinders for Best Drama.

Last year Poldark swept the board winning in all four categories, with Gabriella Wilde winning best newcomer.

Congratulations everyone! Very well deserved.


Wednesday 29 November 2017

'Poldark' Honoured with Satellite Award

Congratulations Poldark!

Poldark is to be honoured with the Special Achievement Satellite Award 2017 from the International Press Academy for Best Ensemble Television according to PR Newswire. Previous recipients of the award include Outlander, American Crime and The Knick.

The IPA has a worldwide membership of film critics and entertainment writers so this is international recognition for the show.
The Satellite Awards are held in February in Century City, California.

Many congratulations to all the cast and crew involved in Poldark on being this year's honouree. Well deserved!


Sunday 26 November 2017

Filming 'Poldark' in Wells

Last Friday Poldark took over the Market Place in Wells for some series four filming with the town hall being transformed into the Warleggan Bank and market stalls filling the square. Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner), George Warleggan (Jack Farthing), Dwight Enys (Luke Norris) and Reverend Whitworth (Christian Brassington) were all spotted during the day.



















Filming also took place at Vicars' Close.


















Tuesday 21 November 2017

Video: 'Poldark' Helps Children in Need Raise Over £50m


Children in Need raised over £50 million last Friday night helped, in part, by the team from Poldark.

Four Children in Need project workers were treated to a day on the set and the chance to meet Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza), Luke Norris (Dwight Enys), Jack Farthing (George Warleggan), Beatie Edney (Prudie), Christian Brassington (Ossie Whitworth) and Ross Poldark himself, Aidan Turner.

One of the charity workers, Razia Mohamed told the Bolton News: “It was amazing – filming only took place three weeks ago. I had to sign something to say I wouldn’t say anything – it was the hardest secret I have had to keep.
 “Home-Start Bolton receives Children in Need funding to help children and their families. We just received a phone call asking who was a fan of Poldark, and I said I was. It is my favourite television series.
“I was told I had been invited to have a look around the set with other fans. That was amazing – we never expected to meet the cast and have a part in the new series. I still can’t believe it, the cast and the people who work backstage were so nice and genuine and generous with us.

“Aidan is so handsome and so down to earth and I got to meet my favourite character George Warleggan.

Children in Need raised a phenomenal £50,168,562 last Friday, its highest on the night total.




Friday 17 November 2017

Exclusive: Aidan Turner for ARTICLE Magazine

Aidan Turner, Article Magazine, racehorse
Photo: ARTICLE Magazine

Aidan Turner, Article Magazine, racehorse
Photo: ARTICLE Magazine

This week's exclusive, behind the scenes, picture from ARTICLE magazine features Aidan Turner with Stan the racehorse at Westlands Farm Stud.

The current issue of the ARTICLE has a 16 page special on Aidan with full-page photographs and an in-depth interview. The Collector's Edition, which is only available on line, comes with four A5 postcards of Aidan too. Follow the link for UK and international orders www.the-article-magazine.com/editions.

If you missed last week's exclusive picture you can see it here.

Links:
Aidan Turner in ARTICLE Magazine
Picture Exclusive: Aidan Turner for ARTICLE Magazine
ARTICLE magazine
On line orders

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Debbie Horsfield Wins RNA Award for 'Poldark'


Debbie Horsfield with her Award
Photo: Official Poldark

Congratulations to Debbie Horsfield on winning the Romantic Novelists' Association Industry Award 2017 for Best Adaptation of a Romantic Novel for Poldark series three.It's the second time Debbie has won the award in this category for Poldark, having previously won it back in 2015. Author of the Poldark  novels,Winston Graham, was linked to the RNA for many years, so it is a particularly nice tribute for Debbie to win.

The judges said: "After three series, Poldark remains a fantastic series with stunning scenery, excellent casting, and still stays close to the original text. It is one of those can't-be-missed programmes, with a charismatic but flawed hero and heroine." 

The awards were announced at the RNA Winter Party on 15 November 2017.

Debbie accepting her award in 2015









Dr. Choake to Return to 'Poldark'


Actor Robert Daws, who plays Dr Choake in Poldark, has revealed he is returning for series four! Dr Choake appeared in the first series of Poldark but was absent in series two and three.

Robert Daws told the Midhurst and Petworth Observer, “I did the first one but couldn’t do the other two because of various other commitments, but I am coming back for the fourth. They had a very handsome young doctor come in. 
“They didn’t need the old git with his leeches and his blood-letting, but I am back now with my leeches and my blood-letting and my poultices. 
“I am enjoying a very ancient kind of medicine!”

I wonder what Dr Enys will make of that!


Tuesday 14 November 2017

Heida Reed to Guest at Christmas Charity Concert

Heida Reed, Christmas with the Stars, Poldark, Bloodwise
Heida Reed
Heida Reed is getting in the festive spirit with Christmas with the Stars this December.

Held in the Royal Albert Hall, Christmas with the Stars is a magical evening of big bands, classic carols and festive sing-alongs. Heida, who plays Elizabeth in Poldark, will join actors from popular TV shows including Holby City, Doctors, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and East Enders for this Christmas spectacular to raise money for Bloodwise, the leading blood cancer research charity.

Christmas with the Stars is at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 5 December, 2017 at the Royal Albert Hall, London. For more information and tickets, follow this link.

Friday 10 November 2017

Picture Exclusive: Aidan Turner for ARTICLE Magazine


Aidan Turner, ARTICLE Magazine, Exclusive
Photo: ARTICLE Magazine

Aidan Turner, ARTICLE Magazine, Exclusive
Photo: ARTICLE Magazine

Here's this week's exclusive, behind the scenes, picture from ARTICLE magazine's photo shoot with Aidan Turner.

Issue 10 of the ARTICLE has a 16 page feature on Aidan with gorgeous full-page photographs and an in-depth interview. The Collector's Edition, which is only available on line, comes with four A5 postcards of Aidan too. Follow the link for UK and international orders www.the-article-magazine.com/editions.

If you missed last week's exclusive picture you can see it here.

Links:
Aidan Turner in ARTICLE Magazine
ARTICLE magazine
On line orders





Tuesday 7 November 2017

Debbie Horsfield Nominated for Romantic Novelists' Association Award

Debbie Horsfield receiving her RNA award 2015
Photo: RNA

Congratulations to Debbie Horsfield on her nomination for the Romantic Novelists' Association Industry Award for Best Adaptation of a Romantic Novel for Poldark series three.

It's the second time Debbie has been nominated in this category for Poldark: she won it back in 2015. This year she is up against the film Love and Friendship by Whit Stillman and Jane Austen (based on Jane Austen's Novella).

The Industry Awards winners will be announced on 15 November, 2017 at the RNA's Winter Party.



Friday 3 November 2017

Aidan Turner in ARTICLE Magazine

ARTICLE, Aidan Turner, Article Magazine, exclusive
Photo: ARTICLE magazine

Aidan Turner is the cover star of the latest ARTICLE magazine! Inside there's a 16 page special on Aidan with photographs and an in-depth interview where he talks about Poldark, his love of art and what's in store for him in 2018. The Collector's Edition, which is only available online, has an exclusive cover and includes four full colour A5 postcards of Aidan.

Each week, for the coming few weeks, we'll be posting an exclusive behind-the-scenes picture from the shoot, taken on location in the Surrey Hills, so watch this space!

The ARTICLE costs £15.50 and can be ordered here for UK and international delivery.

Links:
The ARTICLE Magazine 
Online orders

Aidan Turner, Article Magazine
Photo: ARTICLE Magazine





Behind the Scenes of 'Poldark' at The Bottle Yard Studios

Site Director of The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, Fiona Francombe, gives a behind the scenes tour of the Poldark set.

Saturday 28 October 2017

October Round Up

Photo: Official Poldark

October saw the filming of Poldark series four move from Cornwall to its base of Bristol, some new members of the cast start filming and, of course, the premiere of Poldark S3 in the US.

Actor Max Bennett who plays Monk Adderley gave us our first look at the scoundrel when he posted a couple of pictures on his instagram



Rebecca Front who plays Reverend Ossie Whitworth's mother, the formidable Lady Whitworth, tweeted:



Filming was reported at a number of locations including Cheddar Gorge, Bowood House and St Andrew's Old Church, Holcombe as well as at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol. The Location Guide said there would be some filming in London and, sure enough, producers Mammoth Screen gave us a taste of the action at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, with this snap.

Mammoth Screen 

Here are some of the cast pictures from October.


Sean Gilder and Raphael Bishop
Photo: Raphael J Bishop

Beatie Edney and Raphael J Bishop
Photo; Raphael J Bishop


Heida Reed and Ellise Chappell at Cheddar Gorge
Photo: Ciara Charteris
Gabriella Wilde at Bowood House
Photo: Gabriella Wilde


Pip Torrens, Richard Hope, Robin Ellis
Photo: Meredith Wheeler




Pip Torrens, John Hopkins and Robin Ellis at
The Bottle Yard Studios
Photo: Meredith Wheeler









Heida Reed, Ruby Bentall, Gabriella Wilde
Photo: Heida Reed






Saturday 21 October 2017

Video: 'Poldark' S4 Filming in Charlestown

A little look at the filming of Poldark series four in Charlestown. There are glimpses of Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza) and Luke Norris (Dwight Enys) and good shots of Aidan Turner (Ross) riding Seamus (from 1 min 10 secs).   And rain. Plenty of rain.


Thanks to Etha Mez for the video.


Tuesday 10 October 2017

Vote for 'Poldark' in the National Television Awards 2018!




Congratulations! The nominations are out for the first round of the National Television Awards and Poldark, Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson are all contenders!
The NTA's are voted for by the public in two rounds and first round voting is open now. The winners will be announced at the National Television Awards ceremony at the O2 in London on 23 January, 2018. 

You can vote for Poldark in the following categories:
  • Drama
  • Drama Performance: Aidan or Eleanor

Only one vote is allowed per email address. Voting closes at 23.00 on 27 October, 2017. You can vote in as many categories as you like but can only choose one nominee in each category.  Follow the link for the Terms and Conditions and other ways to vote.

This is the long list of nominees from which a short list of up to five contenders will be drawn for second round voting in January, 2018. Votes from the long list and short list will be added together to decide the final winners, so please vote now and in January to help Poldark win.

Who can forget Aidan winning the NTA's Impact Award back in 2016? Let's make Poldark a winner again!




Wednesday 4 October 2017

'Loving Vincent' Premiere News

Loving Vincent, Eleanor Tomlinson, Aidan Turner, UK premiere

With the UK premiere of Loving Vincent just around the corner we asked organisers Altitude Films some of your questions. Whether you're going to the National Gallery, watching the broadcast or simply wishing you were there, here are some things you may like to know:
  • There will be no red carpet event open to the public
  • The Q&A will be held in the auditorium following the screening (there were suggestions it could be in a separate room)
  • There will be a Q&A video, but it’s likely to be used on the DVD/Blu-ray/Digital release, so won’t be immediately available to the public.
Loving Vincent, Aidan Turner, Boatman
Aidan Turner
Loving Vincent premieres at the National Gallery on Monday 9 October The premier includes a Q&A with directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman and actors Douglas Booth (Armand Roulin) and Aidan Turner (Boatman). It will be broadcast live in cinemas and art galleries across the UK. Tickets are available here.

Loving Vincent, Eleanor Tomlinson
Eleanor Tomlinson
Loving Vincent is a  'painted animation film, looking into the mystery of Vincent van Gogh's death, told through the medium of his paintings.'  It features both Eleanor Tomlinson (Adeline Ravoux) and Aidan Turner.
Loving Vincent opens in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 13 October. A list of UK and worldwide screenings is available here.




Related links:
Loving Vincent Preview Talk
EleanorTomlinson and Aidan Turner in New Biopic





Monday 2 October 2017

Visit to the Set of 'Poldark' Series 3 - Part Two

It's almost a year since I reported from the set of Poldark series three and, now the first episode has been shown in many countries, I thought I'd do a follow-up to the scenes I wrote about back then.

Lots of you have asked about the "s**t" moment so that seems a good place to start. The scene is the one at Nampara where the letter arrives from Geoffrey Charles (Harry Marcus) to say Elizabeth (Heida Reed) is ill. When they were filming Ross (Aidan Turner) read the note and, as he said the line 'Dr Choake cannot be found so the boy begs Dr Enys to come instead,' there was a pause and everyone on set said "s**t". It still
makes me smile! This is the scene too where Aidan felt he was 'sitting like a cowboy' and asked if he might cross his legs instead. As you can see from the screen shot, he did! The scene starts at 33 minutes on the DVD if you want to take another look.

Next up was the Enys's wedding breakfast which brought with it the problem of the puddings. The
crew had been up making puddings until 4am but, by the time they were needed, they had flopped. The problem was Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) mentioned them when praising Prudie (Beatie Edney) with the line, 'Since Jud's been away she's had time to perfect her puddings!' (at 30 mins. on the DVD). They kept the line in, however, as Debbie Horsfield felt there were dishes on the table that represented the modern understanding of the word pudding.

As the cameras rolled there were other adjustments to the scene: the actors were asked not to raise their glasses too high when toasting the happy couple as the glasses blocked their faces and - puddings again - when Prudie served Caroline (Gabriella Wilde) her pudding it created an unwanted shadow that had to be dealt with.

The episode moves on to the happenings at Trenwith and, when we next return to the wedding feast, Ross and Demelza are making their excuses to leave the table. When they were filming this scene the director, Joss Agnew, asked if one of the actors could to tell a joke before they began filming so there would be laughter when the scene started.  Of course, no-one could think of one on the spot, so they chatted happily instead!

Many of the scenes shot this day involved drinking and Ron Dowling, the stand-by props man, told me how every props man has their own secret recipe for producing something that passes realistically for alcohol on the TV screen. It's all to do with colour and viscosity and, apparently, ingredients available from an upmarket grocery store!

Ross, in particular, seemed to be drinking all the time (no surprise there). In one scene take after take he walked across the room, decanter and glass in hand until, suddenly, the solemness of the scene was broken by Aidan's laughter. He was just about to put the glass to his lips when he realised he'd only the decanter to swig out of. Somehow he'd left the glass behind! (At 35 mins on the  DVD).



A little later in the episode Dwight (Luke Norris) sends a letter to Nampara with news that both Elizabeth and Ray Penvenen are gravely ill. It is this note which led the props department to question seal or no seal? In the end the production department decided not to put a seal on the letter as this seemed most realistic given the circumstances Dwight was writing under. (38 minutes on the DVD)


On hearing Dwight's news Caroline decides she must return to her Uncle Ray. This is the scene where Caroline's dress and shoes seemed to make a disproportionate amount of noise as she moved across the room (at 39 mins. on the DVD). But, as sound engineer Ron Bailey assured me, that post-production magic makes it all just fine!



I hope you've enjoyed my insights into the filming of some of the scenes from Poldark S3. Many thanks to the cast and crew and, of course, Mammoth Screen for making this visit possible.

Related Links:
Letters Puddings and Drama: On the Set of Poldark Series3


Please remember to credit Poldarked when reposting from this article.