Poldark’s Aidan Turner: ‘It’s not until I watch it that I realise Ross is a prick’

After two series of Poldark, we’ve grown to really love Aidan Turner’s titular Cornish rogue. And that’s quite impressive considering he’s kind of a git most of the time.

Whether it’s cheating on his wife Demelza, getting into fistfights or pushing about his staff, Ross has questionable morals. But he’s a saint compared to the dastardly George Warleggan.

Ahead of Poldark‘s return on Sunday, Aidan admitted that he only realised how awful Ross can be when watching scenes back.

Speaking to Digital Spy and other publications, Aidan said that Ross will be slightly more mature this year, following his and Demelza’s relationship breakdown.

“This is the perfect time for growing up a little bit more,” he said. “I’m just understanding and realising where he’s at and what he’s in and how volatile the relationship is and how he could lose her. She was ready to walk, and I don’t think that’s something he ever considered before.

“He’s cautious, yeah. Is he nicer to her? I think he does listen to her more. She tends to be right, you know? Most of the time. Far more often than he is. And he’s recognising that a bit more.

“I don’t know about ‘nicer’. Again, sometimes I play a scene, and I think I’m being… fine! And then I see it and think, ‘Jesus, what a prick!’”

Teasing the next series, Aidan gave us a glimpse of what fans can expect from Ross this year.

“He’s grown up a little bit,” he said. “He’s not getting into the same sort of tussles I suppose he was with George, and different things. He’s not having fisticuffs and scraps in pubs, and that.

“He has a family, and he’s got a wife that he nearly lost a few times, and I think he’s conscious of not making those same mistakes again. He’s becoming more mature, and I guess his decisions are more measured.

“Sometimes. But then he does things that are outrageous. But that’s why we love him. When you’ve played a character for the length of time that I have, you do feel like he’s growing.”

Looking ahead to Ross meeting Demelza’s younger brothers in season 3, he added: “He puts up with them. They’re sweet guys. They’re sweet lads in his opinion.

“But one of them is a staunch Methodist, and I don’t think Ross has a lot of time for that. He’s far too busy for that. But he puts up with them.

“They’re hard workers. They’re good lads. They’re slightly misguided, I reckon, Ross would imagine. But they’re very different people to Ross, too.”