Aidan Turner might not be completely comfortable with being labelled a sex symbol, but the actor has admitted he only has himself to blame for that topless scene in ‘Poldark’.
The 33-year-old found himself a whole load of new fans - and hot-under the collar viewers - when the first series featured a scene of him scything in a field, sans shirt.
Now the star has confessed that it was actually him who came up with the idea of removing his top.
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Aidan says he only has himself to blame for this. We think he's being too hard on himself.
BBC
He tells Radio Times: “It was never in the script that he takes his top off – it just made sense to me.
“That’s the worst thing about it. It was my bloody idea.
“It was so hot that day, and we had a whole field to do so I thought, well, he wouldn’t be in a shirt… It’s so thick I can’t even move in it. I’d be sweating straightaway.
“I was thinking he’d leave the shirt – have maybe a towel or something, dry himself off and put a drier shirt on afterwards. So I just took it off, not thinking it would cause a stir.”
Despite his obvious physical attributes, Aidan says he never expected the scene to cause such a fuss.
“I wasn’t prepared for what happened when the scene went out,” he says. “The reaction was – well, it was very unexpected.
“Somebody sent me a clip of Chris Evans, scything naked – or certainly topless. That was hilarious.
“But yeah, I think keep the tops on, fellas. I still stand by the drama involved in it, and I think we pulled off what was required. As distracting as it might be at times and no matter what it’s become to some people, I still think the scene works.”
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This is what Aidan looks like in a shirt.
Jim Spellman via Getty Images
Despite his admission, Aidan’s ‘Poldark’ co-star, Eleanor Tomlinson, has revealed that he is getting “fed up” with the attention the topless scene created.
Read the full interview with Aidan Turner in this week’s Radio Times, out now. www.radiotimes.com.
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Radio Times
Aidan Turner: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds
1. The Irish actor was 23 when he first appeared on TV(01 of09)
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Let's start with the basics, shall we? Aidan was born in Dublin in 1983, and he graduated from The Gaiety School of Acting in 2003. After appearing in a number of plays, he was given his big break with 2007, when he won a guest role in 'The Tudors'. (credit:BBC Pictures)
3. Aidan doesn't understand why people think he's hot(03 of09)
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We know, right?! Aidan wasn't best pleased when the BBC released this behind-the-scenes snap, and he told Newsbeat: "I don't know why the BBC are releasing photos of it. It's a bit strange."Sorry Aidan, but we disagree. It's quite clear to us why they released it. (Bosses if you're reading this, feel free to send more our way...) (credit:BBC/Mammoth Screen/Mike Hogan)
4. The pressure's on for 'Poldark'(04 of09)
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The '70s version of the drama pulled in an average of 17 million viewers a week, so Aidan needs to impress. (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
5. He's taken(05 of09)
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Sorry everyone, but Aidan's been dating actress Sarah Greene for quite some time, though he tends not to chat about his relationship during interviews. (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
6. Aidan gets starstruck just like us (06 of09)
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He's previously revealed how daunting it was to film 'The Hobbit' with Ian McKellen, and now, he's opened up about what it was like when Robin Ellis, the original Poldark, stopped by for a cameo. "We had this scene together when we’d just started filming – a scene where Robin is a judge at a trial," he explained to The Telegraph. "After we’d filmed the scene, Robin turned to me and gave me a wink and a thumbs up." (credit:Wendy Redfern via Getty Images)
7. Peter Jackson spotted him on 'Being Human' (07 of09)
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'The Hobbit' director gave Aidan a call after seeing him in the BBC3 drama. (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
8. We'll be seeing him half-naked a LOT (08 of09)
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The actor has promised that he gets his kit-off multiple times in the series, not that we're counting or anything. Aidan spent an awful lot of time in the gym while filming, and he's previously stated: "I hate the gym. Working all day and then doing 90 minutes in the gym is a pain, but it's part of the job." (credit:Michael Tran via Getty Images)
9. He's a *seriously* good dancer (09 of09)
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Check out this video out if you don't believe us. (credit:BBC Pictures)