The real reason why Ross is at the peak of his powers
POLDARK Sunday, 9pm - BBC1
ONLY a few days ago I bumped into a gent of my acquaintance who was wearing a top hat and tails. Just to be clear, I should point out that this isn’t his usual sytle of attire.
It turns out that he was kitted out for Royal Ascot, although he was nowhere near the race meeting in question when our paths crossed. He was, in fact, on the way from a pub in Dublin’s south inner city to the bookies a few doors up the street.
But that was almost besides the point. Unlike almost any other male in recent memory, he managed to don headgear without looking like a care-inthe-community case. Which, to be fair, isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Consider it for a moment. No one could accuse the Healy-Rae brothers of cutting an elegant dash. And I’ve long been of the opinion that U2 guitarist The Edge resembles a poor man’s version of Benny from Crossroads.
Even the great Ali G looks like a complete eejit, though at least it is intentional in his case. Meanwhile, it goes without saying that anyone over the age of 15 seen in a baseball cap should be sectioned without further delay.
The only exception I can think of is Cillian Murphy in his role as gang boss Tommy Shelby in the brilliant Peaky Blinders. But, of course, the fact that he is playing a character from the early 20th century is at the very nub of the issue.
Only a few decades have passed since it was practically compulsory for a man to wear a titfer. Old photos of street scenes from the Fifties and earlier always feature their fair share of trilbys and fedoras.
Somewhere along the way, Britain’s Hat Council – yes, it really did exist – produced an advert with the famous slogan: ‘If you want to get ahead, wear a hat.’
So perhaps it’s no surprise that there has been so many distinguished-looking hat wearers in public life down through the generations.
Off the top of my head (so to speak), I can think of Winston Churchill, Napoleon, Michael Collins, Frank Sinatra, Sherlock Holmes, Andy Capp, Humphrey Bogart, Popeye, Charles de Gaulle and, of course, the Mad Hatter.
Even in more recent years,
we’ve had the likes of JR Ewing, Crocodile Dundee and Pete Doherty.
But there can be no question that the eponymous hero of Poldark deserves to join that pantheon of greats.
Much has been made of the bare-chested antics of Captain Ross (Aidan Turner), but not enough attention is being given to his magnificent tricorn.
It makes him look, as far as I can see, like a cross between Dick Turpin and the bloke who used to appear on the top left-hand corner of the Sugar Puffs box.
I’m convinced that it also endows him with special powers or, at the very least, inner strength. Watching last Sunday’s instalment, it occurred to me that the bits where Ross seems all sappy, vulnerable and selfpitying are when he is sans chapeau.
So if he had simply put his hat on when Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) was swooning over that ludicrous poet, it wouldn’t have bothered him in the slightest.
Same goes for his ongoing battle of wits with the dastardly George Warleggan (Jack Farthing).
Besides, Ross should look on the bright side.
He has managed to wipe Warleggan’s eye and is now the MP for the Truro constituency.
If he just remembers to keep his head covered at all times, he’ll almost certainly be Prime Minister by the time the series is over.