BRAND NEW Poldark: When does it start, who’s in it and what’s it all about?

You’re probably too young to remember, but* Poldark* was a pretty big deal back in the mid-70s (just ask our mum), and now it’s been cunningly revived in the big Sunday night period drama slot.

The new Downton Abbey, as the critics are already calling it, stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark – remember him from Being Human and being the only hot dwarf in The Hobbit films?

Anyway, a windswept Poldark returns to Cornwall in 1783 after fighting in the American civil war to find Britain is in the grip of a turbulent crisis with falling wages, rising prices and civil unrest. And only the bankers are smiling – bit like the present day, really.

And that’s not all for poor old Ross Poldark – he discovers his father is dead, his estate in ruins and his sweetheart, Elizabeth (Heida Reed) is engaged to marry his cousin Francis (Kyle Soller).

With promising storylines geared towards a post-watershed audience, viewers can expect more thrilling and impulsive adventures to turn the main man’s fortunes around – and perhaps a certain amount of 18th century sauciness as well.

The massive TV phenomenon returns to the box at 9pm this Sunday on BBC1 – so you won’t miss TOWIE!