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

Poldark fans rejoice, because heartthrob Aidan Turner is confirmed to return for a third series, before the second series has even begun. BBC1 has announced that the hit show will be back for round three in 2017, though it is not yet known how many episodes there will be.

Turner – who was rumoured to have quit the series in favour of becoming the next James Bond – looks as though he's made his choice by signing up for the show's third run. He will reprise his role as the dreamy Ross Poldark in late 2016 before series 3 filming commences, with Eleanor Tomlinson also returning as Ross' wife Demelza in the forthcoming seasons.

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New characters will be brought into the Cornish drama – which is adapted by Debbie Horsfield from Winston Graham's novels – including the likes of John Nettles as a wealthy landowner called Ray Penvenen and Gabrielle Wilde as his manipulative niece Caroline. They will be joined by fellow newcomer Hugh Skinner as Unwin Trevaunance.

The third series will be set in 1794 as Ross takes on more battles, new family members and a few fresh romances as the French revolution makes its presence known in Cornwall.

Speaking about the new series, Poldark's executive producer Elizabeth Kilgarriff said: "Series two promises to take the audience on another fantastic rollercoaster ride and we're thrilled to know that the story won't end there."

She added: "It's a testament to Debbie's brilliant story-telling and the passion of the Mammoth Screen [production] team that Poldark will be returning for a third series with yet more twists and turns for these much loved characters."

Mammoth Screen Managing Director Damien Timmer continued: "Poldark is a passion project for all of us, and it's with real excitement that we prepare for both the launch of series two and our return to Cornwall to shoot series three.

"Winston Graham and Debbie Horsfield's extraordinary flair for storytelling means the sage of Ross, his friends and enemies will go to even more thrilling places," he added.

Poldark actor Turner has previously hinted of a potential five series with 12 original novels to work from, but the BBC spurned rumours of a five-year deal. Poldark series 2 will return to BBC1 later this year.

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