‘I was as thin as a rake!’ Original Poldark star Robin Ellis, 78, claims fans don’t remember he stripped off as they’re too busy swooning over ripped Aidan Turner
Poldark’s original star Robin Ellis has claimed fans don’t remember his shirtless depiction of the Cornish heartthrob.
The actor, now 78, admitted he was ‘thin as a rake’ during filming for the steamy scenes, when he took on the role of Ross Poldark in the 1975 series.
Poldark found a whole new army of swooning fans when it was remade in 2015 with star Aidan Turner and his incredibly ripped physique.
Forgotten: Poldark’s original star Robin Ellis, 78, (pictured in March 2016) has claimed fans don’t remember his shirtless depiction of the Cornish heartthrob
Swoon! The actor said unlike Aidan Turner, who stripped off in the series’ remake in 2015, he didn’t work out for the role, joking he was ‘thin as a rake’
Speaking to The Express, Robin – who now lives in France with his wife Meredith and works as a cookery writer – said that he did strip off during filming for the original series, but was nowhere near as ripped as Aidan.
He said that despite there being a 40-year difference, and the remake being far steamier, the main differences was that he didn’t work out in anticipation of the role.
‘I did take my shirt off, but Aidan worked out because that is the zeitgeist for actors now. It never occurred to me to work out – I was as thin as a rake, puny,’ Robin told the publication.
‘It was a very exhausting role though, it’s enough to play that enormous part which has all the lines as well as working out. That’s a big, big challenge.’
Heartthrob: Robin took on the role of Ross Poldark in the original BBC series in 1975 based on Winston Graham’s novels (pictured with Angharad Rees as Demelza)
Despite retiring from acting, Robin did appear in the modern Poldark as Reverend Dr Halse, and admitted he was relieved bosses didn’t ask him to go shirtless.
He added: ‘I am relieved that I was not forced to play Reverend Halse bare-chested – that would have caused more of a sensation than Aidan Turner’s chest.’
The veteran actor added that he is glad the modern remake stayed faithful to Winston Graham’s novels, and didn’t fall into the trap of becoming too steamy.
Hunky: Poldark tells the story of the titular 18th Century Cornish miner who is determined to rebuild his life after returning from the American Revolutionary War (Aidan pictured)
Following his appearance as Ross Poldark, Robin went onto appear in several more series and had a hugely successful career in the theatre, including a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Poldark tells the story of the titular 18th Century Cornish miner who is determined to rebuild his life after returning from the American Revolutionary War to find his father has died and his fiancée has married someone else.
Along the way he falls in love with maid Demelza (played by Eleanor Tomlinson in the remake and Angharad Rees in the original series) and the series tells their journey through love and war.
Emotional: Along the way he falls in love with maid Demelza (pictured played by Eleanor Tomlinson in the remake) and the series tells their journey through love and war