Poldark to air again on BBC tonight with new additional treat for its 10th anniversary
Screenwriter Debbie Horsfield reflects on the origin of her hit reimagining.
The BBC is marking the 10th anniversary of its wildly popular Poldark remake by repeating the first episode tonight, accompanied by an insightful interview with screenwriter Debbie Horsfield.
Based on the historical novels by Winston Graham, which were first adapted for the screen in the 1970s, the series tells the story of American Revolutionary War veteran Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) as he returns to his Cornish familial estate.
There, he attempts to rebuild the life he once lived, enlisting the services of maid Demelza (played by The Outlaws' Eleanor Tomlinson), with whom he quickly strikes up a steamy romantic connection.
The acclaimed drama ran for 43 episodes across five gripping seasons, which aired between March 2015 to August 2019, with this year's landmark anniversary providing the perfect excuse for a rewatch.
Poldark season 1 episode 1 airs tonight, Wednesday 9th July 2025, at 10:20pm on BBC Four, directly preceded (from 10pm) by a 20-minute interview with screenwriter Horsfield that offers insight into the making of the bold reimagining.
The BBC states: "In 2015, Aidan Turner's charismatic portrayal of Ross Poldark set the nation's viewers' hearts racing, thanks in no small part to the work of screenwriter and executive producer Debbie Horsfield, whose update of the BBC's classic 1970s series became a much-praised ratings success.
"Here, Debbie shares the story of how the series came about, outlining the challenges involved in bringing Winston Graham’s much-loved Cornish saga up to date for a modern audience."
Horsfield is currently embarking on another ambitious adaptation, with her forthcoming 5 drama The Forsytes taking inspiration from literary classic The Forsyte Saga, originally penned by John Galsworthy.
Much like Poldark, the work also has a rich history on screen, having been adapted as a BBC serial in the 1960s, and again as a well-received ITV drama in the early 2000s, starring Wolf Hall's Damian Lewis and Bodyguard's Gina McKee.
Horsfield's version reunites the Poldark scribe with Eleanor Tomlinson, while also featuring Doctor Who's Millie Gibson, The Morning Show's Jack Davenport and True Blood's Stephen Moyer, among others.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
