Rivals stars remember Dame Jilly Cooper, say show is a ‘love letter’ to the late author

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The actors in the show Rivals have shared their memories of Jilly Cooper, the author who sadly passed away last October at the age of 88. Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles books were the inspiration for the popular series, which stars David Tennant and Danny Dyer. The cast confirmed that she visited the set of season two shortly before her death, and described the upcoming episodes as a tribute to her work.

With season 2 of Rivals premiering tomorrow on Disney+ and Hulu, the cast spoke with Digital Spy about how author Cooper influenced the show and their connection with him.

At the premiere, Alex Hassell, who plays Rupert Campbell-Black, shared that the actress had been on set around four days before her death, where she met Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett – both of whom had significant roles connected to her character.

Just before she drove away, she told me how proud she was of me and said, ‘I’m so glad you’re my Rupert.’

It truly means a lot to me. She was consistently supportive and kind, and I really appreciate that. Taking on her role felt like a huge responsibility, and it means the world to me that she was so invested in the show, in all of us, and in making it the best it could be.

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Emily Atack, who stars in Sarah Stratton, fondly recalled the parties Cooper hosted during filming breaks.

She used to throw amazing summer parties at her house. We’d all pile onto a party bus and head over there, usually between filming sessions, as she described it.

“We just adored her, and she adored us.”

Rufus Jones, who portrays Paul Stratton, said Cooper is like a window into the past, sharing clever and funny stories.

He recalled spending a lot of time with her on set, often having lunch together. During one lunch, she shared fascinating stories about interviewing Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. He described her as a living piece of history – incredibly funny, insightful, and passionate about her work.

The three stars all agreed that Cooper, who was also a producer on the show, should be involved with the actual filming and get to know the actors.

It meant so much that she was able to see the finished product. She often told us on set that we had fulfilled her lifelong dreams, and it’s incredibly sad that she’s gone. We all feel like she’s still with us as we share this new season with everyone,” Atack shared.

She was incredibly strong and beautiful, even though she was so small. We miss her terribly.

“It’s horrible,” Jones added.

“It doesn’t feel real, really, that she won’t be at the premiere with us, you know?

It’s common for authors to be somewhat removed from adaptations of their work. I’ve worked on many projects where I only met the author once or twice, and they often felt disconnected from the final product. But Jilly Cooper was very involved with the scripts – her influence was clear throughout the entire process, according to Jones.

“She lives on, and we hope to make her proud,” Atack finished. “This is a tribute to Jilly, a celebration of her life.”

Season 2 of Rivals premieres on Disney+ and Hulu on May 15th. You can also watch the first season on those same streaming services.

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2026-05-14 20:19