Opposite attracts Eleanor to Ordeal role

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S Ordeal By Innocence has had a tortuous route to its place as the BBC’S big Easter Sunday viewing highlight.

It was intended to be a Christmas cracker, but when allegations of sexual assault against actor Ed Westwick surfaced, it was pulled from the schedules.

The decision was taken to reshoot his scenes with a new actor, Christian Cooke, and the entire cast had to reassemble at the Firth of Clyde’s Ardgowan House. The re-do is estimated to have cost £1 million.

Christie fans will reckon it’s money well spent and it’s certainly a different Sunday night look for Poldark favourite Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays Mary.

“The character of Mary Durrant is so different to anything I’ve played before,” says Eleanor.

“I’m probably most known for Demelza in Poldark and Mary is the polar opposite of her.

“She’s a relatively weak woman and fractured, worried about people’s opinion of her and she’s desperate to be loved.

“Having been adopted she seeks love and is very competitive when it comes to being her mother’s favourite.

“I was drawn to this very sad girl and I wanted to explore that and push myself to the limit with different twitches and addictions that she has.”

Ardgowan is the fictional Sunny Point estate where wealthy philanthropist Rachel Argyll is murdered and her delinquent adopted son Jack Argyll is arrested for the crime.

As usual with Christie, though, it’s more complex than that.

She might be more used to filming in the wilds of Cornwall, but Eleanor loved her time in Scotland.

“Ardgowan House is gorgeous yet there’s so much space in it that it almost seems lonely. It was the most perfect fit for the backdrop to the story.”

Ordeal By Innocence, BBC1, tonight, 9pm.

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