BBC drops first-look at youngest ever Poirot as fans issue same complaint
The BBC has dropped a first-look image of Edward Bluemel in his new role as Hercule Poirot. The actor, who previously held roles in My Lady Jane and Killing Eve, is starring as the youngest-ever Poirot in an upcoming BBC series. The Agatha Christie character has also been played Kenneth Branagh, Peter Ustinov, and most famously, David Suchet in the ITV series that ran from 1989 to 2013.
After being announced as Poirot in six-part series Hercule, Edward previously shared: "I feel very lucky to have been trusted with such an iconic character who has been played by so many great actors. I can't wait to continue Hercule's legacy." The BBC has now dropped a first-look image at the actor in a classic suit, fixing an intense gaze at the camera, hat in hand, sporting Poirot's trademark moustache, reports Wales Online.
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The BBC also previously teased: "The series is an intimate study of Hercule the man and an epic portrait of Britain between the wars. The series takes a magnifying glass to three of Christie’s most celebrated stories, while also charting Hercule’s burgeoning friendship with Captain Arthur Hastings, his early encounters with Scotland Yard’s James Japp, and introducing him to one particular nemesis…"
Fans have been left divided over Edward as Poirot, with one calling him "perfect" and another saying he "looks scrumptious". Actor Richard Armitage also hailed: "Fantastic casting as one of my favourite characters." "Can't wait," another said, as someone else wrote: "I'm excited for this!"
Yet not every fan has been won over, with several issuing the same complaint that Edward, 33, looks to young to play the character. One fumed: "Love Poirot but why do the have to have them so young these days just to pander to the younger viewer who don’t watch tv."
"Cautiously intrigued!" remarked another. Someone else commented: "Nobody wants an attractive Poirot," while yet another chimed in: "He's no David Suchet."
"Hate this look but he can get it," added another, prompting the reply: "He's working with it."
"To me, making Hercule Poirot young and sexy misses a lot of the point of Hercule Poirot," another said. Someone else added: "There's nothing little, funny, or egg-shaped about this actor."
Someone else wrote: "The whole point of Poirot is that he is not conventionally attractive, but I suppose characters must be hot now no matter what." Yet another said: "I could see him being a good Poirot...In 20 years."
After the series was announced, James Prichard, executive producer for Agatha Christie Limited said: “My father had the privilege of working with David Suchet for nearly 25 years, and I now have the good fortune of being able to share my great grandmother’s brilliant stories with a new generation of viewers. Edward Bluemel is an extremely talented performer and will make a great addition to the long line of actors that have played this celebrated character, aided and abetted by Benji Walters’ thoughtful scripts. I cannot wait to see Edward on screen as Hercule Poirot.”
Rebecca Durbin and Damien Timmer, executive producers for Mammoth Screen said: “Edward Bluemel and Benji Walters are both extraordinary talents and it is a joy to see them take on this beloved character and make him their own. Hercule is both a love letter to Agatha Christie and a fascinating new perspective on an iconic figure - we hope viewers will find it as arresting as we do!”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama added: “Hercule Poirot is one of the greatest and most loved characters of all time, and bringing him back to the BBC is a real privilege. From the first moments of Edward’s audition we knew we’d found the perfect actor for Hercule, with a performance that feels both fresh and exciting, yet quintessentially Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. We can’t wait for viewers to meet him.”