Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses from ‘Rivals’ Season Two Emerge
Bella Maclean, a prominent actress in the television adaptation of ‘Rivals,’ has offered fans an intimate look at the camaraderie on set, sharing affectionate moments with her on-screen love interest, Alex Hassell. Maclean affectionately referred to her fellow cast members as ‘family’ in a recent social media update, coinciding with the second season of the popular Disney+ series.
‘Naughtiest Show on TV’ Continues to Captivate Audiences
The latest installment of the hit show, which returned last month, has producers aiming to maintain its reputation as the ‘naughtiest show on TV.’ Maclean, 28, took to Instagram to post a collection of candid behind-the-scenes photographs from the filming of the highly anticipated season.
The images captured Maclean, who portrays Taggie O’Hara, alongside Alex Hassell, the actor playing Rupert Campbell-Black. Both actors appeared in high spirits, sharing warm and close-up shots. The post also featured selfies with co-stars Catriona Chandler and Jamie Bisping, as well as other group photos with the cast. Maclean rounded out her photo dump with glimpses of her enjoying food between takes and moments captured behind the camera.
A Tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper’s Vision
The actress captioned her post with a heartfelt declaration: ‘That’s family!’ This sentiment comes in the wake of revelations that the late Dame Jilly Cooper, the celebrated author of the novel on which ‘Rivals’ is based, had playfully chided the production team. According to reports, Dame Jilly had advised the creators to refrain from making her iconic ‘macho men’ cry too frequently.
The series features a star-studded cast including Danny Dyer, David Tennant, and Emily Atack. Dame Jilly Cooper, whose best-selling novel inspired the show, passed away unexpectedly last October at the age of 88 following a fall at her home. An executive producer on the series shared a memorable anecdote about Dame Jilly’s involvement during a recent festival appearance.
Laura Wade, a writer and executive producer for ‘Rivals,’ spoke at the Hay Festival, highlighting Dame Jilly’s unique approach to the adaptation. Wade stated, ‘We were so lucky to have Jilly… You would expect someone to be quite strict about what you do with their key characters, and she really wasn’t. She would tell us, if I was making Rupert (Campbell-Black) cry too often, that was one of her favourites – “stop making my macho men cry all the time”.’
‘Rivals’: A Glimpse into 1980s Television Intrigue
Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Cotswolds in the 1980s, ‘Rivals’ delves into the high-stakes world of British television. The narrative explores how careers, marriages, and reputations are jeopardized as professional and personal lives intersect and collide.
Dame Jilly Cooper was an active contributor to the production, serving as an executive producer. During the festival, Victoria Smurfit, who portrays Maud O’Hara in the series, recounted the cast and crew’s reaction to the news of Dame Jilly’s passing.
Smurfit described returning from a break to find the on-set producer, Eliza Mellor, visibly distressed. She recalled sensing a profound loss, stating, ‘Oh God, someone’s died.’ Smurfit added, ‘And it is a testament to Jilly’s sparkle and her champagne soaked soul of heavenly delight that at 88 there was not one iota of me that thought it might be her. She’d been across all the episodes, she’d been across season three, she’d been across everything, and she dropped and rolled… And now she gets to have fun up there.’
An inquest held last year revealed that Dame Jilly Cooper died from a head injury sustained after falling down a flight of stairs at her home in the Cotswolds. The author, renowned for her provocative novels such as ‘Riders,’ ‘Rivals,’ and ‘Polo,’ was discovered by family at her Grade II listed residence in Bisley, Gloucestershire, around 5 p.m. on October 4. Paramedics were called and found Dame Jilly conscious and complaining of a ‘severe headache.’ She had no recollection of the incident but possessed a ‘vague recollection’ of falling, the inquest was told.
