‘Ross hour’ crowds swamp quiet Cornish village – and halt filming of next Poldark
Flashes from fans’ cameras interrupt key shots of star Aidan Turner but local traders are delighted
UNTIL recently, the attractions of Charlestown centred on its picturesque harbour and a shipwrecks museum.
But that was before the nation fell in love with Poldark – and its heart-throb Ross (Aidan Turner) came to town.
The second series of the BBC costume drama is being filmed in the Cornish village, which has been inundated with fans eager for a sighting of Turner and his co-star, Eleanor Tomlinson.
So many visitors have crowded the harbour to watch that locals said filming had been held up, with fans’ camera flashes interrupting key shots.
While delays may have hindered the cast, Charlestown traders are delighted by the fuss. The village is usually quiet at this time of year as the tourist season winds down but Poldark- mania has kept the village bustling.
“There’s been a real buzz and it has definitely helped trade having the filming take place,” said Simon Williams, manager of the Harbourside Inn.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people have been watching and taking pictures while filming and using flashes, which I know has halted filming.
“When they shot here for the first season it wasn’t busy as people didn’t know who they were, but they do now as it’s so popular.”
Lesley Thilp, who works at the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Cen- tre, said: “There’s been a lot of people here and it’s been very busy and has to be good for tourism.” Filming will continue in Cornwall for the next few weeks before the cast move to Bristol.
With its cobbled streets and tall sailing ships, Charlestown is a popular location for film and television crews. It featured in Tim Burton’s 2011 Alice in Wonderland film and an episode of Doctor Who. The port is privately owned and went on the market in 2012 for £4.4 million including the harbour, waterfront, two beaches and an ice cream parlour.
Turner and Tomlinson, who play Ross Poldark and his wife Demelza, filmed scenes on the beach and out at sea in a rowing boat. Turner entertained the crowds between scenes by doing press-ups on the sand.
There are 10 episodes in the series, based on the historical novels by Winston Graham, with John Nettles joining the cast as a wealthy landowner. The first series was the BBC’s hit of the year, drawing more than nine million viewers.
It made a star of Turner, whose shirtless scenes were such a talking point even the Prince of Wales publicly joked he was “no Poldark” in a discussion about traditional scything practices.
Series two will be broadcast in the New Year. Debbie Horsfield, the screenwriter, said: “It’s really exciting to be back in Cornwall for the start of filming. Needless to say, it will be another rollercoaster ride for the Poldarks and we’re thrilled that the BBC has given us an extended run of 10 episodes so we can really do justice to books three and four of Winston Graham’s saga.”
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Jason McKillion said horses had tried to flee, bulls had charged a farmer and his chickens had flown off: “The boom echoed through the glen. I support companies filming here, but they need to keep local people in the loop.”
A spokesman for Northern Ireland Screen funding agency promised to contact the film’s production team.