PHOTOS: BBC
POLDARK IS PREVIEWED
ON PAGES 40-DRAMA
Poldark
SUNDAY / BBC1 / 9PM
B
y the end of last
week’s episode,
the Poldarks and
Enyses were
happily back on
Cornish home soil after a frantic
few weeks in London, which saw
Ross fighting to clear his old friend
Ned Despard’s name, and doctor
Dwight in court supporting James
Hadfield – the man who had
attempted to assassinate the king.
But, of course, as fans of BBC1’s
costume saga Poldark know only
too well, Cornwall has its own
dangers, and, this week, a fatal mine
collapse sees Ross (Aidan Turner)
and Dwight (Luke Norris) risking
their lives on a foolhardy mission
orchestrated by Ned (Vincent
Regan) to save 20 trapped miners.
Ross and Dwight’s recklessness
doesn’t go down too well with their
respective wives, Demelza and
Caroline (Eleanor Tomlinson
and Gabriella Wilde). Neither
does Ross’ loss of control when he
punches his new nemesis, villainous
mahogany trader Ralph Hanson,
at a high-society party organised
by Caroline and Dwight!
Here, Eleanor, 27, and Gabriella,
30, tell TV Times why series five
will once again see their characters
retaining grace under pressure...Both Demelza and Caroline have
had their fair share of ups and
downs in their marriages. How
are things for them this series?
Eleanor: We see lots of turmoil
again because it’s Ross and
Demelza. But we also see them
growing up a bit and working as
a team and Ross having to realise
the importance of honesty. But
Ross will never be tamed and there
are lots of storylines where their
relationship is tested. Demelza
actually has a bit of a showdown
herself later in the series and saves
his little tush, so I’m looking
forward to the viewers seeing that!
Gabriella: Caroline and Dwight are
also tested again. Since losing
baby Sarah [Caroline and
Dwight’s firstborn, who
passed away from
a heart defect in the
last series], it’s not as
it was before and that
still hangs in the air.
Their relationship
is fragile from what
they’ve been throughand they’re trying to make their
way back to each other without
really knowing how to. There are
still a lot of wounds there that
aren’t healed. Having said that,
there’s a nice ending for them!Ross and his old pal Ned seem
to be bringing rather a lot of
danger into everyone’s lives at
the moment. How does this
affect Demelza and Caroline?
Eleanor: Demelza has spent so long
trying to get Ross to think about
family life and suddenly Ned comes
in and turns all that upside down.
Although Ned’s a good person, he
does lead Ross astray. But at the
same time, she understands that
it’s something Ross needs to do for
his own confidence in terms of
believing he can make a difference.
She always says to him, ‘You can
only change your own little corner,’
but he never listens to that! There
are lots of tear-jerking moments,
a lot of angst, a lot of love and a lot
of heartbreak – it’s classic Poldark!Gabriella: Caroline wants to help
Demelza stop Ross getting so
involved – they’re very involved in
each other’s relationships! Their
friendship grows further this series
and there’s a great loyalty there.
She’s Caroline’s only female friend,
so there’s a real love
between them.Newcomer Kitty
(Kerri McLean),
who’s Ned’s wife,
becomes very
much a part of
Demelza and
Caroline’s inner
circle this series.
How do they get
on with her?
Eleanor: Kitty comes
from a similar
background to
Demelza in that she
was her master’s servant and
they ended up falling in love and
marrying. Demelza and Kitty
become really great friends and
they sort of roll their eyes together
a bit about Ned and Ross and what
a terrible two they are and how
they egg each other on.
Gabriella: It’s more complicated
for Caroline. Kitty gets close to
Dwight, which triggers insecurities
that reveal themselves to be more
about losing Sarah than anything
else – but it takes everyone a
while to make sense of that.Do you feel emotional
about this being the last
ever series of Poldark?
Eleanor: Absolutely! I’m
really going to miss the cast
and crew. I’m really going
to miss Aidan, too – we havea brilliant bond and it’s going to be
very strange not going to work with
him. If I can say one thing about
Poldark, it’s that we’ve become
such a family. It’s changed my life.
When you’re lucky enough to play
a character like Demelza, you carry
it with you for ever.
There will always be a
bit of Demelza with me
in every role that I do.
I’m even going to keep
the hair colour – I feel
I’ve established myself
as a redhead now!
Gabriella: I’ve had
a bit of a mad time on
this, what with being
pregnant in the first
series, which was so
tiring! So it’s not been
easy, but I’ve been
very lucky that I have
been able to have my
son on set with me.Were you allowed to keep
anything as a memento?
Eleanor: Yes, I’ve kept my corset
as a sort of reminder of the
discomfort! I’ve worn it for five
years, so it would be weird not to
have it. I also took some of the love
letters that Hugh Armitage wrote
Demelza in series four and some of
the letters that she wrote with the
little ‘D’ wax stamp and the little
stamp as well. I also decided to
keep another bit of costume, but
I’m keeping that a secret!
Gabriella: I wanted Horace
[Caroline’s beloved pet pug]. If I’m
not allowed Horace, then nothing!
Hannah DaviesTV TIMES 7
Steady as she
goes: The ladies
remain calmPedigree chum:
Dwight and
Caroline with
pug HoraceSupport: Kitty is
determined to help
husband Ned