Poldark
Aidan Turner will return to the BBC as Captain Ross Poldark BBC

Shirtless Poldark hunk Aidan Turner is set to revive his role in the hit BBC One series. The actor, who's sent pulses racing in Poldark's debut season, is signing a five-year contract to bring all of Winston Graham's novels to the small screen.

The 32-year-old Irish actor gained notoriety by showing off his rippling biceps and six-pack when he portrayed the titular character Captain Ross Poldark scything in an open field of grass and also during a racy skinny dipping scene. One of the show's producers, Damien Timmer, described the scenes as honest attempts to portray Graham's story.

BBC outgoing controller of drama commissioning Ben Stephenson said there was now room for the Poldark saga to be adapted for TV, with the popular Turner taking centre stage. Eleanor Tomlinson, 23, will also reprise the role of his wife Demelza in future series.

A BBC source told the Sunday Mirror that the BBC was, "keen to find a long-running drama which will return year after year and bring in a big audience". The source referred to the series as the BBC's Downton Abbey, which has been a huge hit for ITV 1, but is now approaching its sixth and final series. But it was indicated that more steamy scenes would be introduced to take advantage of Turner's new found popularity.

Poldark success

The Cornwall-based 18th-century costume drama was a hit with viewers, with an average of eight million tuning in each week to see the story unfold. The news that the series will return has been greeted favourably by many of Turner's female fans on Twitter.

Journalist, Lisa marks tweeted: "Goodness, five more years of Poldark from the Beeb. *scythes heavily*"

While Poldark enthusiast Lynsey James added: "This has just perked me right up! #Poldark"

The BBC is believed to have set aside £50m to fund Poldark until the end of 2020. The second series of the drama is now in pre-production and filming is due to start soon.

The series is the second time the BBC adaptated of Graham's novels. The first was broadcast between 1975-1977, starring Robin Ellis in the lead role, who set pulses racing while keeping his clothes on.

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