Aidan Turner at the BFI & Radio Times Festival (Photos)

A selection of our photos from the Poldark panel at BFI & Radio Times Festival, April 2017. Click the thumbnail to enlarge the pic.

Nine Snippets from 'Poldark' at the BFI & Radio Times Festival

Ross Poldark: Old-fashioned Hero for a Modern World at the BFI & Radio Times Festival was very much a celebration of Poldark and its lead actor Aidan Turner. Well, what's not to like? This meant that much of the discussion covered the now-familiar tales of how Poldark came to be made, how Debbie Horsfield came to adapt it and how Aidan Turner got the part of Ross. And, of course, the scything scene.

Here are a few snippets from the day:

• It's official! Series Four has been commissioned and will start filming in September. Aidan had dropped a heavy hint about this in his recent interview with Dave Fanning but it's always nice to have it confirmed.
• Series Three will air in June. Damien Timmer explained that they wanted to keep the show's momentum going, having felt the gap between series one and two was just too long.
• Aidan broke his hand filming series three. From his gestures he seemed to indicate it was his left hand.
• Back in 2015 at the preview screening of Poldark, Aidan teased Eleanor about Garrick not being 'amazing'.  We know Aidan is a dog person, so it was interesting to hear him expand on this saying, "He’s a working dog and when he’s on set he’s working but he’s not terribly affectionate and it kind of annoys me that he’s not. He doesn’t want to know you unless you have a treat in your hand and I just don't have time for that!"
• Aidan's favourite scene is when he and Demelza first kiss in what he calls 'the blue dress scene'. He said there was a great energy on the day they were shooting it and, 'It just felt right, it felt real. It works for me!'
• Aidan's comment that he doesn't think people like his beard was met with noises of approval for it from much of the audience.
• Asked about the paparazzi and, in particular, about a documentary on Channel 4 where a certain member of the paparazzi admitted to making up stories, Aidan said, "It's frustrating when it holds up the shoot and when there are things we are trying to keep private in the show. I don't know if anybody takes these stories seriously but when he says I'm pushing people around - he fabricates the whole thing, which is kind of shocking. But as long as he doesn't get in my way I don't care."  Debbie added that the fans are brilliant and are never a problem.
• Asked how he gets rid of his Irish accent for the show Aidan joked "Loads of talent." Debbie added, "There's this marvelous thing called ADR." 
• Aidan's favourite British painter right now is Harland Miller, known for his paintings of vintage Penguin book covers.

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.

Latest on BFI 'Poldark' Tickets

Tickets for the Poldark screening and Q&A at the British Film Institute sold out quickly when they went on sale this morning.

In the light of this I've been in touch with the BFI to ask about the situation for those people who didn't get tickets today. 

Joel Pullin, Visitor Services Manager at the BFI told me, "Sadly we do not keep tickets back for general sale as we are a Member supported institution however  we do have a guest list attached to the Poldark screening and are aware that the screening has sold out quickly and will attempt to get early releases from the guest list.

"When the guest list returns we would expect tickets to go on general sale and not prioritised members. Tickets could be released anytime leading up to the screening from 12th July and we will definitely have return tickets to sell half an hour before the start of the screening on the day of the event at our venue.

."A returns queue can start at any time on the day of the screening and one person can book two tickets in the queue.

"My advice is to keep checking our website for releases from 12th July and if there is a large ticket release we would expect the BBC notify fans."

The screening of episode one of Poldark S2 and Q&A with with Aidan Turner (Ross), Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza), Debbie Horsfield (screenwriter) and Damien Timmer (executive producer) is on Monday 22 August at 6.15 pm at BFI Southbank, London.

Just In: 'Poldark 2' Preview at BFI London

Aidan Turner as Ross  Photo: Official Poldark

Here's the news we've been waiting for!

London's British Film Institute is hosting a public preview screening of Poldark S2 in August.

The screening of episode one will be followed by a Q&A session with cast and creatives Aidan Turner (Ross), Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza), Debbie Horsfield (writer) and Damien Timmer (executive producer).

The Poldark preview is on  Monday 22 August, 2016 at 6.15 pm at BFI Southbank, London.  Tickets go on sale on 12 July at 11.30 am and are limited to two per booker.

We can't wait!

Update at 2 pm 27 June:  BFI Members will have priority booking (2 tickets) from 5 July.

Related links:
Poldarked: What to expect at the BFI ' Poldark' Screening  Feb 2015
Poldarked: Aidan Turner at the BFI Poldark Q&A Feb 2015

Ross and Demelza are Top TV Couple in the UK

Ross and Demelza are the number one TV Couple of All Time according to UK voters in The British Film Institute's poll.

The Poldark pair beat Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson from Glee to top the poll.  Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice came seventh.


The BFI separated the Top TV Couple poll results into all votes worldwide and UK only votes.  In the worldwide poll, Ross and Demelza came third. Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser of Outlander came top and Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson of Glee  second.

A full list of results is here http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/announcements/greatest-screen-couples-all-time-unveiled

Aidan Turner at the BFI Poldark Q&A;

source: middle-earth news

Here's something I wrote for Middle-earth News earlier today:

If you love Aidan Turner as Kili in The Hobbit then you’ll want to know about his next big thing: playing the lead in the BBC drama Poldark.  

Poldark was a big hit on TV in the 1970s but 2015 brings a new adaptation of the novels.  Aidan plays Ross Poldark, a man who’s a bit of a hero, doesn’t back away from a fight and falls for a girl who’s taboo. Sounds familiar? But there the similarity with Kili ends, for Ross is an 18th century Englishman in this period drama set in Cornwall.

With Poldark about to hit our TV screens, Middle-earth News was invited to a preview screening of the first episode along with a Q & A with Aidan, his co-star Eleanor Tomlinson, screen writer Debbie Horsfield and director Ed Bazalgette. 

Aidan joked how he had never heard of Poldark before the offer came in. ‘I said, “what the f’s Poldark?” I had to Google it, then I called my mum and she said, ‘You’d better not mess this up’.”

Aidan then had a day to read the book before the first meeting. We all know that Aidan didn’t read The Hobbit before meeting Peter Jackson so I guess he didn’t want to make the same mistake again. He has since read more. He said, ‘How far do you go with something like that? I read the first four [of 12]…’ which he felt for him was enough to give him a feel for the characters and plot ’You could read more: I suppose you should …I’m not smart.’

Aidan, who is Irish, was offered the role without an audition so no one had heard his ‘Ross’ accent before the read-through. He said, ‘The read-through was terrifying … everyone hears your voice for the first time. That was particularly scary for me. I thought, “Oh S**t they’re going to fire me”’

Ross is given to moody stares. Had he practised his Poldark pout?

‘I pout [as Ross] quite a bit I’ve just realised. It’s natural - what I do… The eyebrows: they’re there for frowning. No. I really don’t think of those kind of things; they just seem to happen and they give themselves their own life. Like the hair. The hair was great.'

There were moments of teasing between Eleanor and Aidan. When she said her dog in Poldark was ‘amazing’ Aidan retorted, ‘He’s not amazing. He’s a dog’.

Eleanor got her own back when asked about a favourite moment:

‘Watching Aidan get a spray tan’

‘Oh there you go,’ responds Aidan to the laughter from the audience, ‘That just didn’t happen.’

You can find out more about Poldark on Poldarked and on Twitter @Poldarked and facebook 

Poldark  starts on BBC One in the UK on Sunday 8 March at 9 pm and in the US on PBS Masterpiece on 14 June. It will also be on ABC in Australia.

Don’t miss it!

Poldark Is Coming! 8 March Confirmed

It's been a long time coming but, at last, the BBC have confirmed that Poldark will air in the UK on Sunday 8 March, 2015, at 9 pm on BBC One.

A fortnight ago we reported that the Telegraph had given away the date and a couple of days later Michael Tomlinson, Eleanor's father, posted this on twitter.

Am thinking Sunday March 8th at 9 pm might be a good time to be in front of a TV #EleanorTomlinson #Poldark
— Malcolm Tomlinson (@Malcolm_Tom) February 16, 2015

The date was also announced at the British Film Institute screening of Poldark earlier this week, but it's good to have it from the BBC.

The drama stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark and Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza. The cast includes Phil Davis, Kyle Soller, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Ruby Bentall, Richard Harrington, Warren Clarke and Beatie Edney and even Robin Ellis, TV's original Ross Poldark ( as Rev. Halse).
Check out our Cast List for more.

Here's the Press Association  interview with Aidan.  Thanks to  Kaya_maj1 for posting.

Press Association | Interview w/ Aidan Turner... by kaya-maj1

What to expect at the BFI ' Poldark' Screening

We're all looking forward to the British Film Institute's TV Preview of Poldark  on 23 February, 2015 but it's nice to know how the evening will unfold, so I asked the BFI and this is what they said:

The preview screening is of the first 60 minute episode of Poldark. (Yessss!)  The screening will be followed by a 30 minute discussion with writer Debbie Horsfield,  director Ed Bazalgette and lead actors Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza). Questions will then be taken from the audience at random for 15 minutes. The event will finish around 22:10 pm.

Sounds like a terrific evening to me!