Now Icelandic star’s own nation slaps red alert on Poldark rape
POLDARK’S controversial ‘rape’ scene is to be given an adults-only rating when it airs in Iceland – even though the episode was shown without any such warning by the BBC.
The national broadcaster in the homeland of star Heida Reed is shifting the episode to a later time slot than usual – and will air it with a red symbol in the corner of the screen to show it is suitable only for over 16s.
American broadcasters are taking similar precautions by including an adults-only warning for the first time in the series.
Last week The Mail on Sunday revealed how the scene in the hit costume drama had been condemned for perpetuating ‘one of the most damaging myths about rape’.
In it, Ross Poldark, played by Aidan Turner, forces himself on Ms Reed’s character Elizabeth after she says ‘no’ three times. Legal and women’s campaigners branded it an ‘irresponsible’ portrayal of assault.
But the BBC insisted it depicted consensual sex, sparking widespread protests that it undermined the principle that ‘no means no’. BBC One aired the episode in its usual 9pm slot last Sunday with no special warning. But a spokesman for the Icelandic broadcaster RÚV said: ‘The episode will be watermarked red, as an indication that it is not suitable for children under 16. Previous episodes were not watermarked.’
Poldark has included sex scenes before, but this is the first episode to carry the red watermark and be transmitted at the later time of 9.40pm, rather than 9.10pm.
In America it will be shown on the PBS channel, whose spokesman said: ‘We understand that some viewers will find this segment difficult,’ explaining that, unlike previous episodes it will carry a ‘TV-14’ rating, meaning that it is not suitable for younger viewers.
Australian broadcaster ABC is also considering whether to put an adults-only rating on the episode, with a spokesman saying it will ‘undergo a rigorous classification process’. Australian feminist Eva Cook said this week: ‘If she said “no” three times I think one could assume that she meant it. I think they [the BBC] are just trying to get themselves out of a sticky situation by saying it was consensual sex.’
Last week, the BBC said Poldark and Elizabeth were ‘crazily in love with each other’, adding it was ‘for viewers to make up their own minds’ about the scene.