That "moment" for me was...

I suspect the majority of people, who love period dramas or read historical romance/fiction, will have that “moment” in their lives when they are seduced and become a life long fan for that particular genre. A certain film may have ignited the interest, or a particular book stirred the imagination. That “moment” happened for me at the grand old age of 11, when I sat down with my mother to watch the 1970s Poldark TV series. I read the books soon after and I have had the pleasure of re-visiting them several times over the decades.

To my great excitement, Mammoth Screen has taken up the baton and is in the process of filming the remake of Poldark in England. As I write they are busy filming in various locations in Cornwall, the county where it is set. To tease me further, some of the filming is only a ten minute walk from where I live.

So why did Poldark grab my imagination at the tender age of 11? I was too young to fall in love with the hero, Ross Poldark (played by Robin Ellis). To my horror at how fast time flies, I am now old enough to be the mother of the new Ross Poldark (played by Aiden Turner). No, it had nothing to do with the “swoon factor” for me. Strangely it was the character of Demelza that drew me in. She was a young girl from humble beginnings, who battled with her own insecurities to fit into the world of the man she adored. She made mistakes, but she kept her sense of humour and blossomed as she grew into a woman. With each challenge she grew stronger and a greater support to her husband.

At the time the original series was aired, I was a young girl who was just starting her education at a large, boisterous comprehensive school. It was a very different experience to the small quiet village school where I had come from. It was a case of “fitting in” with a lot of strangers from different walks of life while hiding any insecurity I had. To me, at that time, the character of Demelza was quite inspirational and touched a nerve with me. Of course, watching the drama unfold in the countryside I knew well was the icing on the cake.

Now that I am older, I am used to mixing with strangers - and boy have I met some strange people in my time. However, even with age and experience I will always have affection for the character, Demelza, as I think there is a little bit of Demelza in us all.

I wish Mammoth Screen the best of luck with their production, and if the photos they have released so far are anything to go by, I think we are in for a treat when it finally hits our screens.