Poldark fever is upon us – star Aidan Turner is on the cover of Radio Times this week and the third series is coming later in June – which is clearly great news for fans. But could the end be in sight?

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By the close of series three, scriptwriter Debbie Horsfield will have reached the sixth of Winston Graham’s 12 novels upon which Poldark is based and RadioTimes.com understands that the current plan is to make just two more runs covering the final six books and ending with series five.

“Series four has already been commissioned and the fifth looks like it could well be the last,” said a senior BBC source. “All good things must come to an end. Even Poldark.”

The BBC declined to comment officially on the claims but pointed out that series 5 had not yet been commissioned.

Series three will start on BBC1 in June and draws on books five and six from Winston Graham’s twelve-novel Poldark saga, the Black Moon (set between 1794 and 1795) and The Four Swans (1795-1797). The remaining six books cover the period between 1798 and 1820.

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Aidan Turner will be returning (obviously) in series three as will Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza, along with Heida Reed as Elizabeth, Jack Farthing as dastardly George Warleggan, Ruby Bentall as Verity, Luke Norris as Dr Dwight Enys and Caroline Blakiston as Aunt Agatha.

Series two's new additions – Gabriella Wilde as Caroline Penvenen and John Nettles as Ray Penvenen – have also been named in the cast, as has Beatie Edney who will be back as Prudie Painter. But she will be without her husband, the lovable scamp Jud (Phil Davis).

And there will be a few new faces – including Elizabeth’s new governess Morwenna, played by Ellise Chappell, and Demelza's two brothers – also arriving on the scene.

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Poldark series 3 starts on BBC1 in June

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