Eleanor Tomlinson was rejected for ‘Peaky Blinders’ because she couldn’t put on a Birmingham accent.
The 27-year-old star – who was born in London and raised in Yorkshire – struggled to deliver a convincing Brummie twang when she auditioned for the BBC’s Midlands-based crime drama, and the experience quickly went from bad to worse.
Speaking on Saturday night’s (09.11.19) ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’, she says: "I auditioned for ‘Peaky Blinders’ when it was first starting, but they said, ‘You need to be able to do a Birmingham accent.’
"I tried and they said,’ You just can’t do it can you love?’ I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’
"Then as I was leaving, I put my hand out to say goodbye, and then I had an enormous nose bleed all over my hand, all over their hand."
The ‘Poldark’ actress also reflects on her experiences working on the hugely popular period drama, and she wouldn’t rule out returning if there was ever a revival.
She says: "It’s opened lots of doors. It will always have a very fond place in my heart.
"Aidan [Turner] is always off gallivanting around the world, so I haven’t caught up with him in ages but we are good mates.
"You never say never… I kept the corset from ‘Poldark’, just because it was so painful and I wanted to never have to wear it again but to own it and think, ‘I got through it, I wore it every day’.
"Now I can eat a burger and chips and be able to enjoy as opposed to not be able to finish it. I wouldn’t say no [to a reunion] we’ll see. It would be lovely to do a reunion, it would be amazing."
At the very least, Eleanor has reunited with the same team for the Beeb’s ‘The War of the Worlds’ adaptation, and she was instantly sold on the project.
She adds: "It’s the same production that make ‘Poldark’ so I’d been working with them for a few years.
"I just read the script and absolutely loved it. I loved this character. It was a high action bit of fun. Something different. An amazing cast."
Eleanor Tomlinson’s Peaky Blinders audition ended with nose bleed
