Filming for the series Rivals has resumed in Corsham, Wiltshire, just a week after the sudden passing of its author, Dame Jilly Cooper.
Aidan Turner, known for his role as Declan O’Hara, was seen filming scenes with Alex Hassell, who plays Rupert Campbell-Black. The two actors were laughing and embracing during the shoot.
Bella Maclean (Taggie), Nafessa Williams (Cameron Cook), and Lara Peake (Daysee Butler) were also spotted filming on the high street.
Jonny Weldon, known for his role in One Day, was spotted on the set of the show for the first time as he joins the cast for season two. His specific role hasn’t been revealed yet.
Rupert Everett is also appearing in the Disney Plus series and recently shared heartwarming memories of Jilly, recalling her visit to the set just before she passed away.
Dame Jilly passed away on October 5th at the age of 88. She had a fall at her home in Bisley, Gloucestershire, shortly after filming began for the second season of her show.
Rupert, who plays Malise Gordon – the former show-jumping coach of Jilly Campbell-Black – described Jilly as funny, lively, and down-to-earth when he appeared on Chris Evans’ Virgin Radio Breakfast Show.
I’ve always enjoyed books like ‘Rivals’ and the work of Jilly Cooper. It’s harder to make new friends as you get older, but when I met Jilly, I immediately thought, ‘I’d really love to be friends with this woman.’
She was a truly remarkable and incredibly kind person, completely full of life. She was funny, charming, and down-to-earth – everything you could ask for in someone. Simply put, she was wonderful.
Rupert fondly remembered working with her on set, saying they had a really enjoyable time together. He also shared that he had a great night at a party she hosted in August for the show’s cast and crew, where there was plenty of alcohol.
Rupert felt she was a compelling character, and he found it fascinating how differently she approached sex compared to modern perspectives. For her, it simply wasn’t an issue, he explained.
She was fascinated by it all and genuinely enjoyed the lifestyle. When you learn about stories – like her kissing Sean Connery while her husband briefly left the room – it becomes clear that this world in Rutland offered a surprising amount of freedom.
She was strikingly attractive, though not conventionally beautiful. It’s interesting to consider her appearance now, at a time when society often favors a very modest aesthetic.
The author known as the ‘Queen of the bonkbuster,’ famous for her steamy romance novels, sold over 12 million books throughout her career.
Dame Jilly Cooper, famous for her popular Rutshire Chronicles novels, recently revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail that she once shared a romantic moment with James Bond actor Sean Connery.
Stories about the intimate lives of wealthy polo players became incredibly popular, offering many people a bit of escapism for bedtime reading.
Dame Jilly Cooper’s debut novel, *Riders*, the first in the Rutshire series, came out in 1985 when she was 48 years old.
Dame Jilly’s book launch was a turning point in her writing career, coming after she’d lost 22 public relations jobs.
H. Rider Haggard’s novels were named among the 100 most important English-language novels by the BBC, appearing in the category of love, sex, and romance alongside Jane Austen’s *Pride and Prejudice*.
Rivals is the second book in the series.
The historical drama first became available in October 2024 on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US.
Disney+ recently announced that the latest season includes a total of twelve episodes, four more than originally planned.
The show’s first season, consisting of eight episodes, was a massive success. It concluded with a dramatic cliffhanger, leaving viewers wondering about the fate of David Tennant’s character, Lord Tony Baddingham, who appeared to be killed.
It initially seemed like Lord Baddingham wouldn’t be returning, but it’s now official: David will be back to play the character in season two!
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2025-10-15 17:34