Poldark star Aidan Turner said he does not see himself as a sex symbol and admits he found fans reaction to him getting topless in the show "very strange".
The 32-year-old Dubliner, who rose to fame playing Ross Poldark in the hit BBC period drama, caused a stir when his character appeared topless, with a scythe in hand in series one of the show .
Turner said he is still surprised by the reaction that scene caused and found it "very strange", but said the fact that he had to get his top off every week made him stop eating pastries.
"Well, I still don't see myself as a sex symbol. Nothing has changed for me in that regard," he told the Daily Mail Weekend magazine.
"There were parts of the show where people could relate to that idea I suppose, but I never felt like a sex symbol. I wasn't thinking 'Here's me being a sex symbol' when Poldark went into the sea for a swim."
Asked if his view changed when the series went out, he said: "No. I couldn't understand why people thought either me or Ross was a sex symbol. None of it made any sense to me so I just didn't bother with it.
"When you're in the eye of the storm it just feels like a natural progression, I don't feel this stratospheric rise or anything.
"I come across sweet people in the street now who ask for a photograph, but I can't stop other people just taking them. You have to get on with it.
"And then there was that picture of me holding that scythe topless in the show that seemed to go round for quite a while.
"That was very strange, although it didn't take attention away from the show so I was fine with it. And at least because there was a 'Ross gets his top off' scene every couple of weeks, it stopped me drinking beer and eating pasties."
