Jilly Cooper's Rivals shows 'ruthless world' of TV in the 1980s

Aidan Turner portrays Declan O'Hara, a television host from the 1980s, in the film version of Rivals.

A new eight-episode drama, inspired by one of Dame Jilly Cooper's notorious "bonkbusters" and partially shot in the West, is now available for streaming.

Rivals, which came out in 1988, has been transformed into a Disney+ series featuring a star-studded lineup, including Aidan Turner and David Tennant.

Dame Jilly described her books as having "questionable ethics and high barriers," highlighting their frequent blend of provocative themes and controversy.

Taking place in the Cotswolds and London, with some scenes shot at the Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, the drama "plunges deeply into the cutthroat realm of independent television."

Dame Jilly took on the role of executive producer for the series.

Dame Jilly held the position of executive producer for the series, which was recorded over a six-month period last year.

This was the inaugural production filmed on the two primary stages at the TBY2 facility of Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, which is owned by the council. The facility opened in 2022 and has become the focus of protests regarding its potential sale.

Additional settings featured picturesque rural landscapes in the Cotswolds, along with a segment filmed aboard the Concorde at Aerospace Bristol in Filton.

David Tennant takes on the role of the self-absorbed Lord Tony Baddingham.

Gary Matsell, the Production Lead at ITV Studios, expressed, "Productions like this depend on the skilled local crew. Bristol boasts a wealth of experienced and talented professionals, and it was a delight to collaborate with them."

Most likely, around 90 percent of the participants were from the West of England. We had trainees in all departments, the majority of whom were also from the local area.

"How much influence did I really have? Not a lot," Dame Jilly shared with the BBC. She mentioned that since her grandson Jago worked as a runner on the production, most people recognized her as "Jago's granny" when she came to the set.

She proposed a few adjustments, however.

She mentioned that she sometimes questioned, "I don't believe they should be jumping on each other this early in the narrative," and similar phrases.