Poldark star: I’ll take top off again If it’s tasteful and r ole demands it, obviously

POLDARK fans can breathe scythes of relief as star Aidan Turner may flash the flesh again in the new series. Sunday nights are set to get steamy from next month when the hot Cornish historical drama returns for a third outing. And Aidan, who memorably whipped off his shirt to cut grass in series one, may once more show off his lean, muscular torso – as long as it is done tastefully. Aidan, 33, was surprised by the audience’s reaction and said: “There was mild hysteria about it. It was just really hot that day and it’d have been more weird to keep my shirt on. It didn’t feel like a stunt.” Asked if he’d strip off again, he said: “If it seems right and not gratuitous. It’s just another scene” Poldark was an instant hit when it aired in 2015, with series one averaging more than eight million viewers and the second seven million. Aidan, who plays Ross Poldark returning from the American War of Independence, was confident the 18th century drama would be successful. He said: “Three weeks i n and t he audience really reacted to it. The reaction was exceptional.” The swashbuckling adventurer is back in June but domestic matters are likely to dominate affairs. There is a strong possibility that Poldark is father of old flame Elizabeth’s baby. His night of passion with his ex, played by Heida Reed, nearly ruined his marriage to popular Demelza, played by Eleanor Tomlinson. Aidan said: “We start the series and there’s the feel Ross and Demelza have already had the discussion, the arguments and the plates have been thrown. “It’s a delicate situation and I guess it’s the waiting game to see whether he’s the daddy.” But Poldark is a rebel, a gambler and a risk taker and Aidan enjoys the edgier action side to the character. The actor, who also starred in The Hobbit films, said: “I do pretty much all my own stunts. It was a lot of fun, running around in the woods with guns, jumping on boats.” In the new series Ross rallies friends to find a ship which is missing off France and they have to bust a character out of jail. Aidan said: “It’s boys with guns. It’s very exciting. It’s like a war movie in the middle of the series.” But he admitted he had to quickly learn how to ride a horse properly. Series four is filming from September and series five is being written, so Aidan is getting ready to spend months in characte character. He said: “I spend more of the year playing RossRos Poldark than I dod in my own sho shoes.” PlayingPlayi Ross is now second naturenatu so AidanAid he has no trouble switchingsw f frr om hi s nativena Irish accentac to Cornish.Corn MillionsMi of fans will be pl pleae a s e d he comfortablycomfo gets into his role, just a as long he can slip out of hish clothes with the same ease.ea