Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson return to BBC One this summer with the third series of epic Cornish saga Poldark.
Following hot on the heels of the second series, the third instalment brings a host of new characters and worlds into play.
1794: Ross must traverse new family, new love and new conflicts, as the French revolution casts a shadow over life in Cornwall. Facing battles both at home and abroad, will Ross answer the call and risk losing everything he holds dear?
Turner reprises his role as the hero Ross Poldark, as he tries to rebuild his marriage to Tomlinson’s Demelza, but their fragile peace is disturbed by the arrival of her deeply Methodist brothers Sam and Drake Carne, played by Tom York (Olympus) and Harry Richardson (Doctor Thorne) respectively.
Also returning are Heida Reed as Elizabeth and Jack Farthing as George Warleggan as they expect their first child and plot their ambitious rise to be the most powerful family in Cornwall. George will try to separate Elizabeth from her Poldark roots and will employ Elizabeth’s cousin, Morwenna, played by Ellise Chappell (The Last Dragonslayer), as a governess to Geoffrey Charles, played by newcomer Harry Marcus. When Morwenna meets Drake Carne, the pair will fall in love and the Poldark and Warleggan households will collide once again.
Producer Michael Ray says: “The world of Poldark expands again in series three as we head across the sea to violent revolutionary France, meanwhile on the home-front we meet the richest and most powerful people in Cornwall. And they all want a piece of Ross.
“It was a great challenge to create the world of France, which we did on location in Cornwall and Bristol. It’s a much darker and colder place than our beloved Cornwall and it poses a constant threat to our heroes at every turn. Berkley Castle in Gloucestershire was transformed into a guillotine-happy port town and Bishop’s Palace in Wells, Somerset was turned into a deadly Convent-come-Prison for a week – and they saw a lot of action! Our stunt co-ordinator had his work cut out for him.
Producer Roopesh Parekh continues: “Debbie Horsfield’s extraordinary talent for weaving explosive events with the delicate struggles of a marriage has reached new heights. Ross and Demelza finally have some wealth and success and their eyes are opened to a much grander world than the one they have previously inhabited, but the secrets of the past continue to hang over them and they are pushed and pulled in different directions. Adapted from The Black Moon and The Four Swans in the Poldark book series, the shadow of the Black Moon is felt over the whole series. There will be some tragic losses this year.”
Series three also welcomes a great many new characters. Sean Gilder (Shameless, Penny Dreadful) joins as Bartholomew “Tholly” Tregirls, a dangerous yet comical old friend of Ross’ father; Josh Whitehouse (Northern Soul) stars as Hugh Armitage, a Naval Navigator and romantic poet besotted with Demelza; Christian Brassington (When Boris Met Dave) plays depraved clergyman, Reverand Osbourne “Ossie” Whitworth, who hopes to align himself with George Warleggan; John Hopkins (Dancing On The Edge) plays Sir Francis Bassett who is looking for a candidate to lead the fight against inequality and political corruption as embodied by Lord Falmouth played by James Wilby (Titanic, Maurice). Ciara Charteris (Close To The Enemy) also joins the cast as Tholly’s wayward daughter Emma Tregirls who takes a shine to Demelza’s brother, the Methodist preacher Sam.
Poldark is filmed on location in Cornwall and the Bristol area and at The Bottle Yard Studios. A fourth series will go into production this autumn.
Based on the novels by Winston Graham, Poldark is a nine part series written and created for television by Debbie Horsfield (Cutting It, The Riff Raff Element) and directed by Joss Agnew (Brief Encounters, Mr Selfridge) and Stephen Woolfenden (The Halcyon, Doctor Who). It is produced by Roopesh Parekh (And Then There Were None, The Hollow Crown) and Michael Ray and the executive producers are Debbie Horsfield, Karen Thrussell, Tom Mullens and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen and Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC.
Character descriptions
Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner)
Ross attempts to deny his nature and isolate himself from the affairs of others but, with the stakes now higher than ever, he must find a compromise between what he wants and the needs of those who depend on him.
Demelza Poldark (Eleanor Tomlinson)
Demelza decides she will no longer be passive in her own life but, in learning to be her own master, she must determine what she truly wants for herself and how far she’s prepared to go for it…
George Warleggan (Jack Farthing)
No longer content to lord over Truro through finance alone, George finds new worlds and opportunities opening to him, but the obstacles he faces turn his journey of ambition into one of discovery on several fronts.
Elizabeth Warleggan (Heida Reed)
Contrary to her expectations, Elizabeth finds herself once again navigating a world of uncertainties and guarding a grave secret. She comes to learn, however, that she wields far more power than she’d previously realised…
Dwight Enys (Luke Norris)
A man of integrity and compassion, Dwight finds himself pushed to his limits by the war with France, battling not only the French but his own demons and the doubts they rouse; both abroad and at home.
Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wilde)
Rich, beautiful and clever, Caroline navigates society’s tiers masterfully but finds the complexities of married life, and love, can be altogether more challenging.
Tholly Tregirls (Sean Gilder)
Tholly was a friend of Ross father’s before he fled Cornwall and the law many years ago. His womanising and recklessness haven’t been forgotten, and his ability to stir the adventurer in Ross could spell trouble for all…
Morwenna Chynoweth (Ellise Chappell)
Morwenna is Elizabeth’s cousin, and finds herself in George’s employment to support her sisters and widowed mother. Morwenna soon discovers, however, that there are things more important in life than one’s sense of duty or place…
Sam Carne (Tom York)
Sam arrives in his sister Demelza’s world determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, spreading the Methodist word. But how can Sam profess to save strangers when his own brother courts temptation?
Drake Carne (Harry Richardson)
A good natured free-spirit, Drake has many of the qualities of his sister Demelza. He seeks his own place in the world and finds himself unwilling to settle for the limits life seeks to impose; especially concerning his romantic destiny…
Hugh Armitage (Josh Whitehouse)
As the nephew of Lord Falmouth, Hugh has grown up in the shadow of expectation – a fact he is keenly aware of. But Hugh is also a romantic and wilful. He would do as he chooses with his future, and being true to one’s heart rarely comes without a cost…
Osborne Whitworth (Christian Brassington)
Osborne is from an esteemed family and a reverend. Driven by lustful desires, the widower seeks a new wife and George sees there is a social advantage in helping him…
Emma Tregirls (Ciara Charteris)
Lusty and headstrong, Emma isn’t a follower of anyone. When the Carne brothers arrive with God in tow, Emma is therefore the first to poke fun at Sam’s piousness - but people have a strange way of getting under your skin and, as they say, opposites often attract…
Lord Falmouth (James Wilby)
A man of ancestral power, his will has dictated the people and politics of Truro for generations but Falmouth finds a revolution in thought occurring, one that threatens to upend the status quo…
Sir Francis Basset (John Hopkins)
Sir Francis is one of the wealthiest men in the county but where Basset chooses to ally himself will have significant consequences for the people of Truro…
Tom Harry (Turlough Convey)
Tom Harry is George’s right hand man and delights in carrying out his master’s dirty work. With George’s rising power, Tom Harry finds his own increased – and he’s only too happy to wield it.
Aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston)
Resilient and wily as ever, Agatha resists the Warleggan occupation of Trenwith with all the fervour she can muster, sparing what energy she has left to look out for the Poldarks both at home and at Nampara.
Prudie Paynter (Beatie Edney)
Prudie is Nampara’s loyal servant and an increasingly central part of the Poldark unit. For all her bluster, Prudie is as loyal as they come and not averse to voicing her opinion - whether it’s asked for or not!
Ray Penvenen (John Nettles)
Caroline's kindly, sweet-toothed Uncle Ray has raised her since she was orphaned. Ray is one of the county's wealthiest and most powerful gentlemen.
Cary Warleggan (Pip Torrens)
George’s uncle, Cary is shrewd and determined to win the respect of the ruling classes. However, his uncouth manner and lack of humanity works against him.
Captain Henshawe (John Hollingworth)
An old friend of Ross, Henshawe was Mine Captain of Wheal Leisure when Ross’ father was alive. He is well-respected in his field.
Harris Pascoe (Richard Hope)
Ross’ banker and long standing friend, Pascoe is a shrewd businessman. He frequently counsels Ross to be more cautious in his business dealings, and frequently fails.
Reverend Dr Halse (Robin Ellis)
Halse is a powerful Magistrate who has little sympathy for the poor. However, whereas he once held Ross in contempt, he begins to see the value in Ross, and we sense Halse is not as blinkered as we’d reason to believe.
Zacky Martin (Tristan Sturrock)
One of Ross’ oldest and loyalist friends, Zacky has worked in his mines for years and is well respected by both commoners and local gentry alike.
Cast
- Ross Poldark... Aidan Turner
- Demelza Poldark... Eleanor Tomlinson
- Elizabeth Warleggan... Heida Reed
- George Warleggan... Jack Farthing
- Dr Dwight Enys... Luke Norris
- Caroline Penvenen... Gabriella Wilde
- Prudie Paynter... Beatie Edney
- Ray Penvenen... John Nettles
- Aunt Agatha... Caroline Blakiston
- Morwenna Chynoweth... Ellise Chappell
- Drake Carne... Harry Richardson
- Sam Carne... Tom York
- Geoffrey Charles... Harry Marcus
- Captain Henshawe... John Hollingworth
- Paul Daniels... Ed Browning
- Tom Harry... Turlough Convery
- Zacky Martin... Tristan Sturrock
- Tom Carne... Mark Frost
- Rev Dr Halse... Robin Ellis
- Harris Pascoe... Richard Hope
- Tholly Tregirls... Sean Gilder
- Sir Francis Bassett... John Hopkins
- Lt. Hugh Armitage... Josh Whitehouse
- Rev Osborne Whitworth... Christian Brassington
- Amelia Chynoweth... Siobhan O’Carroll
- Emma Tregirls... Ciara Charteris
- Verity Blamey... Ruby Bentall
- Lord Falmouth... James Wilby
- Cary Warleggan... Pip Torrens
Production team
- Executive producers... Damien Timmer; Karen Thrussell; Tom Mullens; Elizabeth Kilgarriff
- Writer and Executive producer... Debbie Horsfield
- Producers... Roopesh Parekh; Michael Ray
- Directors... Joss Agnew, Stephen Woolfenden
- Directors of photography... David Rom; Nick Dance BSC
- Editors... Jo Smythe, Adam Green
- Production designer... Jeff Tessler
- Costume designer... Howard Burden
- Make-up designer... Pippa Woods
- Composer... Anne Dudley
- Casting... Susie Parriss
- Horse master... Mark Atkinson
- Poldark consultant... Andrew Graham
