Aiden Turner: “I’m getting too old to get my kit off!”
With the latest series of hit period drama Poldark heading back to our screens, Closer caught up with its hunky star Aidan Turner to talk nudity, cakes and the perils of ageing…
His famous topless scene in H series one of Poldark back in 2015 turned smoldering star of the show, Aidan Turner, into a national heartthrob. So last year, fans were disappointed when there was a distinct lack of shirtless scenes, but in the new episodes he’ll be stripping off again – despite believing he’s “too old” for such antics.
In the flesh, Aidan, 34, is charming, laughs a lot and talks quietly in his gentle Dublin accent. He explains, “A lot of us have to watch what we eat on Poldark because of the fashion for slim-fitting clothes in the late 18th century. For me, it’s definitely the pies I have to avoid for the sake of the torso scenes. If the trousers start to feel a little tight around the midriff, then I know it’s time to put them down and pick up the weights. It’s probably the aspect of playing Poldark that I least enjoy – and it does get harder the older you get!”
Giving us a sneak peek into what fans can expect from the new series, Aidan reveals, “There’s a scene involving Ross [Poldark] and Demelza [played by Eleanor Tomlinson] passing a strawberry between their lips – and that required some nudity! I’m getting too old to get my kit off, but it happens a few times in this new series.”
The drama – now in its third year – is filmed in Cornwall, and Aidan – who also played Kili the dwarf in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and a vampire in BBC Three’s Being Human – explains it’s the generosity of locals that can also contribute to any midriff-related problems.
He reveals, “People who live close by, or who have come to watch us filming, are kind enough to bake us cakes, and they are always delicious – especially the chocolate ones. It’s rude to say no to at least one slice, that’s my excuse anyway…”
So, how does the star keep that chest so chiselled? “I just do weight training, plus cardio on the running machine and the usual boring stuff,” he tells us. “It helps keep up my stamina for the long days on set – but my routine has got more punishing as the series have gone on. I have to work harder to maintain that look.”