Meanwhile in Cornwall . . .

I'm happy to report that filming of the second series (or season, as we say in the U.S.) of the BBC drama Poldark is underway in Cornwall.

According to a story in yesterday's Western Morning News:

The cast and crew from hit TV drama Poldark are expected to start filming in Cornwall today for the second series.

Actors from the show as well as various fans have taken to social media in the last week to reveal snippets of information about the series and filming schedule.

The first series starring Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson was a huge hit when it was screened earlier this year.

Heida Reid, who plays Elizabeth [and who is pictured at right with Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays Demelza], took to Twitter to say the cast were enjoying read throughs and were heading to the South West for filming soon.

I've made no secret on this blog of my great admiration for Winston Graham's Poldark series of historical novels, upon which the TV series Poldark is based. This admiration dates back to when I read the Poldark novels as a teenager. I've revisited them over the years and they've undoubtedly had a marked impact on how I've come to understand many important aspects of life and love (as I explain here, here and here).

The BBC adapted the first seven novels into a highly successful television series in the mid-1970s. At the time, that's how many Poldark novels Winston Graham had written, starting in 1945. He would go on to write five more before his death in 2003. That's twelve novels over a period of 57 years. Quite an achievement, especially given the consistently high quality of his writing.

The new BBC adaptation premiered earlier this year to overwhelmingly positive reviews in the U.K, Australia and elsewhere. The Telegraph's Allison Pearson even went so far as to declare Poldark "one of those rare occasions when a popular drama series delivers something that properly belongs to art."

It's been said that this new adaptation will eventually cover all twelve Poldark novels. If this indeed happens then it will be quite the feat, as the novels cover a period of almost 40 years (1783-1820) and a number of major historical events, including the development of the steam engine and the Battle of Waterloo.

9/16/15 UPDATE: Reports the Daily Mail:

The hit period drama Poldark is set to return to BBC One for a 10-part series next year.

And as filming gets underway on the rugged coastline of Cornwall, South West England, the cast welcomed two new actors – Gabriella Wilde and Hugh Skinner [right] – to the set on Tuesday.

Gabriella, 26, and Hugh, 30, both donned full 18th century costume as she began her role as Caroline Penvenen – the niece of landowner Ray Penvenen (Midsomer Murder's John Nettles) – and he filmed his first scenes as her love interest, prospective MP Unwin Trevaunance.

The little known actress – whose biggest role to date was in the 2014 box office hit Endless Love – sported a multi-layered outfit which was varying shades of purple as she was photographed in between takes with fellow newcomer Hugh.

Here are some more images from the set of the second season of Poldark. Additional images can be found on the Facebook pages Poldark 2015 and The Power of Poldark.


Left: Aidan Turner and Luke Norris (who plays Dr.Dwight Enys) take a break in filming.

Above: Aidan Turner as Ross and Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza at Porthcurno, Cornwall – September 19, 2015.

Above: Jack Farthing as ruthless banker George Warleggan.

Above: Heidi Reed and Jack Farthing filming in Penzance, Cornwall – September 21, 2015. For more images, click here.

Above: Aidan Turner, water bottle in hand, filming Poldark on the rugged Cornish coastline.

Above: Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza at Porthcurno, Cornwall – September 15, 2015.

Above: Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, renegade of principle.

Related Off-site Links and Updates:
Filming Under Way for Poldark Series Two – BBC (September 11, 2015).
BBC Begins Filming of Poldark for Extended 10-part Second Series – John Plunkett (The Guardian, September 11, 2015).
Aidan Turner Gets Into Character as the Brooding Poldark on the Set of New Series of Hit Period Drama – JJ Nattrass (The Daily Mail, September 9, 2015).
Will Poldark Season 2 Feature Ross's Dark Side? – Ignacio Zara (Yareah Magazine, September 10, 2015).
Poldark Season Two Updates: A New Director Revealed; Filming Begins; and the Possible Future of the Show Revealed – Movie News Guide (September 9, 2015).
Poldark Series 2: Aidan Turner is Back as Smouldering Hero – Neela Debnath (Express, September 9, 2015).
Aidan Turner Reunites with On-Screen Wife Eleanor Tomlinson as Filming for the Second Series of Poldark Gets Underway on Cornish Pastures – Sharnaz Shahid and JJ Nattrass (The Daily Mail, September 10, 2015).
Poldark Crew Return to Cornwall for Series Two Filming – The Cornishman (September 12, 2015).
New Poldark Actress Unveiled as Filming Begins in Cornwall – Western Morning News (September 13, 2015).
John Nettles Joins Poldark Cast for Second Season – William Martin (Cult Box, September 13, 2015).
Heida Reed Reprises Her Role as Ross Poldark's First Love Elizabeth as She Joins Co-star Jack Farthing on the Set of Popular Period Drama in Cornwall – Sharnaz Shahid (Daily Mail, September 21, 2015).
Fiction and History Walk Together in Poldark: Ross Poldark and the Real Live in Cornwall in the 18th Century – Ignacio Zara (Yareah, November 13, 2015).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Thoughts on the PBS Premiere of Poldark
• Poldark: Unfurling in Perfect Form
• Poldark Rides Again
• Ross Poldark: Renegade of Principle
• "A Token of Wildness and Intractability"
• Return of the (Cornish) Native