The BBC was at the centre of a furious row last night over a scene in hit drama Poldark which horrified campaigners say depicts rape.

In an episode to be broadcast tonight on BBC1, the central character, Ross Poldark, forces himself upon his former lover Elizabeth. He uses violence repeatedly and she says no to his advances three times.

Elizabeth repeatedly attempts to resist his advances and the scene ends with him pushing her on to a bed before having sex with her.

The BBC was at the centre of a furious row last night over a scene in hit drama Poldark which horrified campaigners say depicts rape. 1. Elizabeth tells Ross to leave and tries to push him away but he begins to kiss her roughly

2. Despite her struggling he continues to kiss her, forcefully holding her head in his hands

The BBC insists that the scene shows consensual sex – but it has angered rape campaigners, legal experts and MPs, who have all watched a preview.

Last night, prominent anti-rape campaigner Julie Bindel said there was no doubt in her mind that the scene depicted a rape. Ms Bindel, who has served as a Home Office expert, said: ‘We are seeing rape. It’s wholly irresponsible.’

And leading criminal barrister Matthew Scott said: ‘It is rape. If I saw that in evidence on CCTV from a hotel room I would convict him.’

In the scene, which occurs towards the end of tonight’s episode, a furious Poldark, played by Aidan Turner, turns up unannounced at the home of Elizabeth, his former fiancee, to demand that she cancel her planned wedding to his nemesis, George Warleggan.

He confronts Elizabeth after she writes to him to inform him of her intention to marry.

Poldark enters the property by kicking open the door and then demands that Elizabeth, played by Heida Reed, abandon her plans.

But Elizabeth ignores his request and instead orders him to go, saying: ‘Please leave now, Ross. I am my own mistress and I will not be instructed.’

Poldark is inflamed by her refusal to accede to his demands, and forcefully holds Elizabeth’s face while he kisses her. She struggles and tries to push him away.

When Elizabeth declares her love for George, Poldark again uses force and kisses her. When she tells him she detests him for his action, he uses force yet again to grab her and tells her: ‘No you don’t. You never have and you never will.’

3. She rebuffs Ross a second time, saying she detests him - and she tries to break away

4. After saying no a third time, she looks in horror at the bed before saying: 'You will not dare'

Elizabeth then sees Poldark glancing towards the bed and she says to him: ‘You will not dare. You will not dare.’

He replies: ‘I would Elizabeth. I would and so will you.’ He pushes her on to the bed and she appears to yield to him. In a later scene she is shown lying naked in bed, looking radiant, as Ross gets dressed.

The scene is based on events in the 1953 novel Warleggan, part of the best-selling series of books by Winston Graham.

The scene in the novel has Elizabeth telling Ross: ‘Stop! Stop, I tell you.’ The book continues: ‘But he took no further notice.

‘He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.’

Most experts who have read the book have considered it a rape.

The scene was included in the BBC’s original 1975 adaptation of Poldark, which starred Robin Ellis as the eponymous hero. He told The Mail on Sunday that the scene in the original show was ‘true to the book’ and ‘shocking’.

In recent weeks, the stars of the new Poldark have been at pains to point out that the character would not rape Elizabeth in this series.

They said the drama would offer a more nuanced version of events more in keeping with Turner’s role as Britain’s favourite heart-throb. Turner said of the sex scene: ‘It seems consensual and it seems right. He doesn’t force himself upon her.’

5. Elizabeth is then thrown on to the bed and can be seen looking terrified at Ross's actions

6. Ross then pins her on the bed but finally, trapped, she appears to respond willingly

Ms Bindel claimed that what was most alarming was that the scene ends with Elizabeth appearing to enjoy the love-making.

She said: ‘What they are showing is a woman enjoying rape. It’s a rape scene that turns into a fantasy. This is one of the most damaging myths about rape. I think it’s really pernicious.’

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘By rewriting the original story to protect the on-screen reputation of the lead male character, the BBC has sent out two very disturbing messages – that no does not really mean no, and that women can enjoy forced sex.

‘Anti-rape campaigners will rightly be up in arms about this.’ Sarah Green, of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: ‘The scene would not be out of place in a porn film – a strong man who knows what must be done and a woman who apparently resists but wants it really.

In an episode to be broadcast tonight on BBC1, the central character, Ross Poldark, forces himself upon his former lover Elizabeth, played by Heida Reed (pictured)

'Ideas like this are underneath lots of excuses for not believing women when they report rape.’

Novelist Joanna Trollope accused the BBC of trying to ‘have their moral cake and eat it’.

‘It looks as if the producers of Poldark were so desperate to protect Aidan Turner’s heart-throb status, that they overlooked how repellently Ross Poldark behaves in this episode. And it is rape.

‘Elizabeth says no to Ross three times. She tries to resist him physically and says, “You would not dare”. He has his way, and then she is shown surrendered and abandoned to him – inferring that it’s what she wanted all along.

‘Whatever the BBC protests, to my mind this scene reinforces the convenient and mistaken opinions that resistance only inflames male desire, and that being overpowered is the ultimate female sexual fantasy. You can’t, BBC or anyone else, have your moral cake and eat it.’

A spokesman for the BBC programme insisted that the scene did not show a rape, saying: ‘These are two people who have been so crazily in love with each other, then they thought they had lost each other, then they thought they had found each other but actually they had lost each other still.

'They have to come to terms with being next-door neighbours but still wanting each other.’

He added: ‘It’s for viewers to make up their own minds.’

Karen Thrussell, the programme’s producer, said the scene in the novel was more nuanced than people think and the new TV version was in keeping with that. She also said the new take on events had the backing of Winston Graham’s son, Andrew.

Ms Thrussell said: ‘We’ve always been aware that the scene in question has been called controversial and that the controversy is all the more acute when an isolated instance is taken out of context. During the script process this was one of several scenes we discussed with Andrew Graham.

EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE CONTROVERSIAL EPISODE Yes - It is rape No - It's not rape It is rape. Elizabeth says no to Ross three times. She tries to resist him physically. He has his way. Joanna Trollope, novelist They show a woman enjoying rape – one of the most damaging myths about rape. It’s really pernicious. Julie Bindel, anti-rape campaigner It would not be out of place in a porn film… a strong man, and a woman who resists but wants it really. Sarah Green, End Violence Against Women Coalition In the scene, Elizabeth and Ross have a fiery encounter which concludes with a consensual act. Karen Thrussell, Poldark producer It seems consensual and it seems right… he doesn’t force himself upon her. Heart-throb actor Aidan Turner, who plays Ross Poldark As soon as he pushes her on the bed, she arches her neck and returns his kisses and is all into it. It’s not rape. Donna Dawson, relationship pyschologist Advertisement

‘In the scene as written and performed, Elizabeth and Ross have a fiery encounter which concludes with a consensual act – one which had been coming for a long time and was borne out of a relationship which in one form or another had existed since their youth.’

Relationship psychologist Donna Dawson said: ‘As soon as he pushes her down on the bed she arches her neck up, returns his kisses and is all into it. It’s not rape.

‘The whole scene is based on repressed passion. Anger is quite a sexual motivator, and that’s what is happening here.’

Mary Clegg, a sex and relationship psychotherapist, also did not consider the scene a rape.

She said: ‘Her actions aren’t fitting with a woman frozen with fear. She didn’t offer much resistance, and returned his kisses. Many women do have quite violent fantasies. A lot of women might think, “I wish my husband would take me like that”.’