Jilly Cooper fans...

[MrsJohnCusack]

well, it's culture to ME alright

Have just read this on her website (yes, pretty sad, but life is dull for some of us)

"One thrilling bit of news is that ITV have bought my romantic novel Octavia. Written in the late seventies, and subtitled The Taming of a Shrew, it follows the fortunes of a very glamorous rich bitch, who sets out to pinch her friend?s boyfriend.

I?m really excited about this because it is being made by a wonderful and enterprising television company called Touchpaper, part of the RDF Media Group. and the script writer is Jonathan Harvey who wrote Gimme, Gimme, Gimme so I think we?re all going to have huge fun. If Octavia works, with any luck the rest of my romantic novels might be made into films too, which would be lovely. I?ll keep you posted".

I think this would be pretty cool, especially if they keep them all still set in 70s. My favourite is Prudence, would LOVE to see a film of that

[choosyfloosy]

Great stuff. Never saw the Riders miniseries, but thought it looked dire and as if they'd missed most of the point. was it any good, do you know?

[MrsJohnCusack]

it was shite really
but quite enjoyable in a tacky Dynasty kind of way

[choosyfloosy]

ah

wish they'd do Rivals

though very hard to cast, especially Cameron, who keeps saying 'jolly good in the circs' as New York girls so often do

[MrsJohnCusack]

oh but Rivals is SO SO SO brilliant
one of my favourite books

[choosyfloosy]

i know

massively underrated IMO

by far the best thing she's ever done - much the funniest

[seeker]

I love Rivals too - it's so much better that all her others. I have reread it several times, which I've never done with the others.

[tribpot]

Me too. I have read Octavia, would be great to see a decent adaptation of it. The Riders one was appalling but how on earth do you cast Rupert?

[JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump]

I bought Imogen in a charity shop the other day, and thoroughly enjoyed re-reading it for the first time since I was, oh, maybe 14. Fab stuff. My sister and I used to have all those. (incidentally, was I reading recently that Jilly Cooper is 70 or something?)

[tribpot]

Wow - she is!

[JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump]

Pretty impressive - she's looking good for her age too, I think.

[MrsJohnCusack]

I have copies of all those Prudence, Imogen, Bella etc. ones. Originals, with Jilly done up as each heroine on the cover. Fabulous!

but yes, how DO you cast Rupert

think MamaG and WWW are Jilly fans too, must keep this bumped for them

Jackie, isn't Imogen BRILLIANT? I absolutely love it

[WideWebWitch]

How are they going to get that misty lens 70s look? and Jilly's too old to play the heroines, shame!

[WideWebWitch]

I remember the heroine being called Prudence was pretty all for a joke abut how she wasn't. I love Jilly Cooper (except the ending of Wicked and the man who made, about which the less said the better)

[Turquoise]

Harriet was my favourite. Wonder if they'll update Octavia, they were so 70's - but that could be really fun, in a Life on Mars kind of way.
Man who made husbands jealous was on telly last night, gruesome (didn't watch!)

[fishie]

ooh yes so 70s, remember the bit about swishing about to ravel's bolero in bermuda shorts? i think that was prudence.

[MrsJohnCusack]

oh I didn't know they did an adaptation of The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous

was it utter pants? (Like the book)

[MaryAnnSingletomb]

I read all these books as a teenager - loved Prudence and Harriet and Imogen - I think the hero in Imogen the most sexy.Used to laugh at the descriptions of the clothes!!

[MaryAnnSingletomb]

Who would you cast as the heroines ?? I loved it when plain girls became beautiful and blossomed !

[MrsJohnCusack]

am eacking my brains for casting suggestion, but too sleep deprived and cross to come up with anything sensible

[MaryAnnSingletomb]

mmm, I can't think either...Alan Rickman could be Cory Erskine (if not too old) and I always imagine Jerry Hall as Cable in Imogen...(of course waay too old now)
Colin Firth would be great !
Oh,it's all coming back to me now !

[witchandchips]

octavia:

Gareth "it takes a big hammer to drive a big nail" Llewelyn could be played by the un pc cop in life on mars (philip glennester?)
Octavia herself played by keira knightly
Xander (brother) has to be rupert everet
Gussie (fat nice friend) kirsty from location location location
Jeremey ?

[themoon66]

Another JC fan here

Agree that Rivals was the best of the lot. The last one about the school was so dire I gave up reading it.

[witchandchips]

Prudence: has to be anna friel
Imogen: daniella denby ashe

[kittylouise]

Love Riders, Rivals and Polo, Rivals being the fave.

Remember re-reading it so much as a teenager the book fell to bits.

Jilly Cooper is great.

[MrsJohnCusack]

oh no I can't have anna Friel as Prudence although i see what you're getting at

yes Xander must be Rupert Everett

what about lovely Matt in Imogen?