‘Thanks for giving me Aidan Turner's bare bottom for mother's day': The internet gets hot and bothered over skinny-dipping Poldark – and there are complaints that 20-second nude scene wasn’t LONG enough
- Irish actor Aidan Turner plays title role in eight-part BBC series Poldark
- His brooding good looks have already grabbed the attention of viewers
- Last night he was seen skinny-dipping, confirming his heartthrob status
- Hundreds of swooning viewers took to Twitter to express their admiration
- Moment compared to Colin Firth's wet-shirt scene in Pride and Prejudice
His brooding good looks caught the attention of viewers in the programme's opening episode, and last night, Aidan Turner, star of BBC's Poldark, confirmed his status as the nation's newest TV heartthrob.
The 31-year-old actor, who plays tortured and dashing Captain Ross Poldark, stripped naked during the show's second episode, much to the delight of love interest Demelza - and legions of adoring fans.
Hundreds of swooning admirers took to Twitter to share their excitement at seeing Turner, who starred in The Hobbit trilogy, take off his clothes before going skinny-dipping in the Cornish sea.
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Racy: Irish actor Aidan Turner, who plays tortured and dashing Captain Ross Poldark, set pulses racing when he went skinny dipping during last night's episode - the second in the BBC's new eight-part series
Perfect gift: One Twitter user took to the social network to express her admiration of Turner's brooding looks
Iconic: This user compared the moment to Colin Firth's lake scene from the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in which the actor, as romantic hero Mr Darcy, emerges from the water in a soaking wet shirt
Swooning: Another viewer shared her thoughts on Poldark's skinny dipping, aired on the BBC last night
The racy moment has been compared to Colin Firth's lake scene from the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in which the actor, as romantic hero Mr Darcy, emerges from the water in a soaking wet shirt.
But some viewers were left disappointed, saying the scene was too short.
Based on Winston Graham's series of acclaimed novels, Poldark tells the story of Ross Poldark, an Army officer who returns to England after fighting in the American War of Independence to discover that his fiancee Elizabeth is engaged to his cousin after believing him dead.
Successor to the crown: Turner's Poldark went one better than Firth's Darcy as he went completely naked
Taking a dip: Scenes showed him leaving his clothes on the beach before wading naked into the water
Admirers: The character's secret swim, right, was watched with delight by love interest Demelza, pictured left
Poldark then marries his maid, Demelza, played this time round by Eleanor Tomlinson, but is forever torn between the two women.
The original series – a feast of heaving bosoms and bodice-ripping played out on a backdrop of windswept Cornish landscapes – attracted audiences of up to 15 million when it aired in the 1970s.
And the BBC's new eight-part adaptation is scheduled for a post-watershed slot - promising viewers even steamier scenes.
Going one better: While Mr Darcy stripped down to his shirt and breeches, Poldark removed all of his clothes
Hot and bothered: Hundreds of women were impressed with what they saw when Turner stripped down
In last night's episode, which saw ratings figures dip slightly on last week, Turner set pulses racing in scenes that showed him leaving his clothes on the beach before wading naked into the water.
Twitter users took to the social media site to share their admiration, with a number commenting that shots of his physique made the perfect Mother's Day gift.
One user named Katherine Jones posted: 'Thanks #bbc for giving me Aidan Turner's bare bottom for mother's day. Much appreciated! #poldark'.
Love triangle: Poldark (Turner) seeks solace with Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson, pictured together) following his return from the American war of independence to the woman he loves engaged to his cousin
Smouldering: With last night's episode, the 31-year-old actor confirmed his place as TV's newest heartthrob
Another wrote: '#Poldark Aidan Turner skinny dipping made my Mothers Day'.
One user named Layla Tango tweeted: 'If Poldark gets any hotter, we'll have to call the fire birgade!'.
Angela Thompson tweeted: 'Due to my temperature rising dangerously high whilst watching #AidanTurner #Poldark I may have to watch it whilst having a cold shower'.
Another tweeter wrote: 'Love watching Poldark because Aidan Turner. Naked. In the sea. Naked'.
And Liz Mordue posted: 'Ah, #Poldark Aidan Turner couldn't smoulder any more if they set his jacket on fire. Loving this series.'
But some viewers were left disappointed, saying the scene was too short.
Gytha Ogg tweeted: 'Are you kidding me #Poldark - all that build-up and then polite twee distance-shots of naked swimming Aidan?'
Jeremy Good added: '#Poldark note to cameraman, need to zoom in and linger a little longer on Captain Poldark swimming.'
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