Poldark is back on BBC One on Sunday night for its fifth and final series.
The 8-part run will air at 9pm Sundays and see Aidan Turner reprising his role as Ross Poldark. The final series will take inspiration from Winston Graham’s novels and writer Debbie Horsfield has been delving into history too.
With a new century comes the promise of a hopeful future, but the past casts a long shadow over Cornwall. Following the death of Elizabeth, Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) resolves to put Westminster behind him and spend more time with the people he loves. However, when an old friend needs help, Ross is compelled to challenge the establishment and question his own loyalties to king and country.
As the Enyses (Luke Norris and Gabriella Wilde) rally to join the cause, Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) must contend with dangers close to home, while George (Jack Farthing) courts corrupt powers whose influence spans the Empire.
New cast members for the final season include Vincent Regan (300) as Ross’ old Army Colonel Ned Despard and Kerri McLean (Electric Dreams) as Ned’s wife Kitty, a former slave. Sofia Oxenham (Grantchester) is the trecherous Tess Tregidden, Peter Sullivan (Entebbe) is the wealthy merchant, Ralph Hanson whose daughter Cecily (Lily Dodsworth-Evans – Genius) befriends Geoffrey Charles (Freddie Wise – Maleficent 2).
Karen Thrussell, executive producer for Mammoth, says: “At Mammoth we’re all fans of the Poldark books and we hope our audience will continue with us on the next stage of the journey. We are confident that fans of the novels will appreciate the care with which Debbie Horsfield is continuing to adapt Winston Graham’s saga.”
Andrew Graham, son of Poldark’s author Winston Graham and series consultant on behalf of the Winston Graham Estate, says: “No-one can know what my father would have felt about the forthcoming series, let alone what he might have written. However, Debbie Horsfield has demonstrated such an extraordinary affinity with his work and has shown such remarkable skill in bringing his Poldark characters to the screen that we know we are in safe hands. Indeed, without her, the Estate would not have agreed to series five in this form.”
Preview the first episode of the new series in our gallery below:
Poldark airs at 9pm Sunday on BBC One.
