Ross has grown up a lot... he still has an edge but all round he’s a better person

AFTER four years of emotive drama, gorgeous Cornish backdrops and the occasional scene featuring a topless Aidan Turner, Poldark is coming to an end.

Adapted from Winston Graham’s novels, the BBC1 hit – written by Debbie Horsfield – stars Aidan as passionate protagonist Ross Poldark.

The previous four series have followed the former military man as he desperately tries to turn around the fortunes of his late father’s estate in Cornwall. But another large focus of the show has been his love life – in particular, his relationship with wife Demelza, played by Eleanor Tomlinson.

So, it’s fitting that the final scenes Aidan shot for the fifth – and last – series involved a day “in the bedroom” with Eleanor.

“They weren’t amorous, they weren’t romantic scenes, we were just in the bedroom, you know?” elaborates the Irish star, 36, who’s also known for his role in The Hobbit movie trilogy.

“It was a great way to finish because it made sense that it was just us together, and us just having fun.”

The previous series covered the first seven books, but the eighth (The Stranger From The Sea) is set 11 years down the line, when we meet Ross abroad on a special mission for the government.

Debbie Horsfield wanted to fill in the gaps, and look at how Ross ends up in that position – so she delved into history for the storyline, resulting in some exciting new characters.

Set in a new century – the 1800s – there is the promise of a hopeful future in series five. However, the

past casts a long shadow over Cornwall, especially following the heartbreaking death of Elizabeth at the end of series four.

We will see Ross, who had resolved to put Westminster behind him, help out an old friend, which results in him feeling compelled to challenge the establishment and question his loyalties to king and country.

Meanwhile, Demelza must contend with dangers close to home.

We can rest easy, however, as the couple’s famously turbulent relationship is solid this series – even if Ross “does bring another sort-of baddie into their world”.

“He’ll always do that, I think,” reflects Aidan. “He just has a natural attraction to menace, there’s always something.”

As for how Ross – who’s in his early 40s in series five – has changed, the actor reckons his character has “grown up a lot”.

“He’s still impulsive and still has that gambler’s streak in him and he still has an edge, but he’s all round just a better person. Certainly kinder and better to Demelza, and just better at utilising his time – things we all get better at doing as we grow up.”

How did Aidan find filming this series, knowing it would be the last?

“I don’t know if it changes anything,” he muses. “It’s weird when you try to force a feeling, you try to make it memorable. It doesn’t really... It’s not that useful. There’s still a job to do.”

Luckily, he did nab a couple of mementos from set to help him remember the role: “The hat came with me, definitely!”

■ Poldark continues on BBC1, Sundays at 9pm.