Latest BBC pay row breaks out as Poldark’s Aidan Turner is paid more than his co-star Eleanor Tomlinson

A PAY row has broken out on hit BBC show Poldark after it emerged Aidan Turner is paid more than co-star Eleanor Tomlinson.

Bosses say the actor, 34, who stars as Ross Poldark, gets a higher wage than Eleanor, 26, because he has significantly more time on screen.

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Eleanor, who plays Poldark’s wife Demelza, told the July issue of Red magazine she thought Aidan would be paid more initially, but would be pretty upset if it was still the case after four series.

Asked whether the pair are paid the same, she said: “My guess is no. While at the beginning that might have been OK, he was a bigger star than me. Now I don’t think so.

“We’re equal leads of the show, so I’d be pretty upset if the gap hadn’t closed.”

But yesterday production firm Mammoth Screen, which makes the show, confirmed Bond-contender Aidan is paid more than London-born Eleanor.

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A spokesman for Mammoth said: “Whilst we can’t and won’t disclose the details, we do pay Aidan Turner more for playing Ross Poldark as throughout all the series Ross has significantly more screen time than any other character.”

The revelation comes after Netflix show The Crown was at the centre of a pay row this year.

It emerged that Claire Foy, 34, was paid less than co-star Matt Smith, 35, for the first two series.

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Bosses later reimbursed Claire £100,000 in back payments.

Series four of the BBC1 adaptation of Winston Graham’s Poldark novels, left, starts next month.

• ELEANOR’s full interview appears in the July issue of Red magazine on sale on Wednesday May 30.