Airdate: Poldark

BBC Drama Poldark will premiere on ABC on Sunday April 12, replacing Broadchurch which has its finale this weekend.

Aidan Turner (Being Human) stars as British soldier Ross Poldark who returns home to Cornwall after fighting in the American War of Independence.

As with the 1975 series starring Robin Ellis, both dramas were based on the novels of writer Winston Graham.

This is an eight-part adaptation of the first two novels in Winston Graham’s Poldark series starring Aidan Turner (The Hobbit Trilogy, Being Human) as Ross Poldark and Eleanor Tomlinson (Death Comes to Pemberley, Jack the Giant Slayer) as Demelza Carne. Robin Ellis, who played Ross in the first television adaptation of the Poldark novels in the 1970s, appears in two episodes as Reverend Halse.

Ross Poldark joins the army to avoid charges of smuggling. He goes to fight in the American War of Independence leaving behind his sweetheart, Elizabeth (Heida Reed), with the promise that he will return soon. Three years later, wounded and scarred, Ross returns home to discover that his father has died, his estate is in ruins and Elizabeth is set to marry his cousin, Francis (Kyle Soller).

Elizabeth and Francis are married. Ross is surprised to see that callous banker George Warleggan (Jack Farthing) is at the groom’s side. Ross’ uncle, Charles Poldark (Warren Clarke) thinks that it would be better for the newlyweds if Ross were to leave Cornwall and he offers to pay for Ross to make a fresh start elsewhere.

Ross stubbornly refuses, determined to rebuild his family estate, Nampara. With only the help of his father’s useless servants, Jud and Prudie (Phil Davies and Beatie Edney), Ross takes on a new kitchen-maid, Demelza, after he rescues her from a beating.

When Elizabeth makes it clear that she no longer loves him, Ross furiously decides to leave Cornwall. However, Demelza’s abusive father turns up to take her back and brings with him a gang of brutish thugs determined to fight. Seeing the local miners stand up for him and take on the gang, Ross realises that his home is in Cornwall amongst his friends. On his way back to Nampara, he sees Elizabeth who has come to beg him to stay and it is clear to Ross that she still has feelings for him.

Production credits:
Based on the novels by Winston Graham. Written and created for television by Debbie Horsfield. Produced by Eliza Mellor. Directed by Ed Bazalgette and William McGregor. Executive Producers: Debbie Horsfield, Karen Thrussell and Damien for Mammoth Screen; Polly Hill for BBC and Rebecca Eaton for Masterpiece.

8:40pm Sunday April 12 on ABC.