Aidan’s back this month

‘POLDARK’: SEASON THREE HAS QUITE A FEW NEW CHARACTERS AND IS SET TO THRILL

And a fourth season is confirmed.

With series 3 of the popular drama series, Poldark, due to start on ITV Choice (DStv 123) on August 8 at 8pm, we caught up with handsome, brooding lead actor Aidan Turner to find out more about the third season.

This series you got to do a lot more action-filled filming didn’t you?

Yes! We filmed some scenes in this incredible place with a huge moat and rivers and lots of little places where we could run into the woods with a musket. We were running around with guns and breaking into prisons and there is a lot of espionage involved. Filming the domestic life can be fantastic too and acting those scenes is always great, but there is nothing like playing soldiers with the lads. It was great fun.

How did you prepare for it? Did you have any training?

We had professional musket training. They kick off a lot of black powder so you need to know what you are doing. You can very easily have a damp squib and ruin the shot. They are the real deal, they’re not replicas and the bayonets are real. They have just been sharpened as it gives you the right sense of weight. In one of the scenes we are breaking into a prison and Harry Richardson (who plays Demelza’s brother, Drake) was pulling back his rifle and the flintlock of the rifle caught my little finger on my left hand and pulled it right back. I knew something was wrong straight away and it was very painful but I had to finish the scene.

Poldark is also older and wiser now isn’t he?

Yes, he is growing up a lot more, becoming more mature and is better at listening. He only takes big risks now if he has to but it’s still in him and there will always be an inner rebel trying to get out. But he is also more aware of repercussions now. It comes with his growing relationship with Demelza, losing a child, having a business fail a few times and not knowing if he’s going to be able to put food on the table. All these are difficult things that you would like to think would make you wise up.

Tell us about the new dimension to the ongoing rivalry between Poldark and his nemesis, George Warleggan (played by Jack Farthing).

They both have too much to lose now as they are getting older. They can’t really afford to do each other serious harm.

Ross still believes that George is an incredibly dangerous person, with his vindictive and callous nature and so he should be treated with the utmost care. It is for that reason you see Ross going to see George to lay down the law.

For the sake of their wives and children they have to come to some sort of understanding or resolution.

It is quite a mature move from both characters. Whether it will last… who knows? But it certainly starts off in the right direction.

After the fairly tumultuous ending to last season, what is Ross’s relationship with his wife, Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) in this series?

There is obviously a lot of tension still in the air but it seems like they have talked it through so Ross is licking his wounds a little bit and trying to get his relationship back on track. They have their own family to think of now and want to get on with life while hoping for it to be easier.

The relationship between Ross and Demelza has always felt very real for Eleanor and I, that’s why it is so enjoyable to play.

We can really track the progress of their relationship and when we go to shoot a scene and we do our research on what has come before, it is easy to join the dots and to see where they are at and why.

Eleanor and myself have worked together for so long now that we are very familiar with each other and our relationship progresses alongside the relationship between our characters. When we are doing these scenes you’re just looking into that person’s eyes and you are relating to them on that platform and in that context and it feels like any relationship would feel. It is very real for us.

There are quite a few new characters in series 3. What do they bring to the show?

It’s a new lease on life for the show every season when you get new characters, especially when they are being played by such talented actors who get on with the existing cast so well. When you’re close to the top of the cast list you’re guiding the show in a certain direction and you are watched and rightly so. You are at the helm of this ship and there is a responsibility with that so I am certainly aware of it.

However, when it comes to being friendly with new cast members, everyone on set, all the crew, cast and producers are just as gracious and inviting and friendly.

We’ve heard rumours that there is going to be a fourth series of Poldark. Is that true?

Yes, absolutely. There is more story to tell and we are doing a decent job of it so it is nice to be coming back. There is talk of my on-screen horse Seamus needing to retire as he is 17 now.

I love Seamus, he’s a real star, and I have a huge attachment to him, but if he needs to retire...