They've finally cast Rupert Campbell Black!

[Kefir]

https://www.an-eventful-life.com.au/eventing-news/books-dvds/cast-jilly-cooper%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98rivals%E2%80%99-revealed

And it's...Alex Hassell. He is finally made flesh! Thoughts, O Cooper fans?

Nope, never understood the love for him.

Not me.

RCB needs to be devilish good looking, oozing charisma, bit of a bad boy, foppish, wavy hair, posh boy and I always imagined him blond.

I always thought the character was modelled on Rupert Chawner Brooke. Physically he's a dead ringer for him, but there are similarities in personality too - although it's hard to imagine Brooke having quite that revolting a personality!

When she cited the real inspiration, to say I was disappointed is an understatement!

Trying to think of what I’m imaging.

I think more of a posh boy version of Patrick Seayze in Point Black.

Just looked him up. He has the right debonair look. Also isn’t he also based on Andrew Parker Bowles .

I thought Jilly said RCB was a composite of 3 or 4 men in RL, one of whom was APB. He's the only one that gets remembered (by me as well) probably due to the royal connection.
Also, Riders came out nearly 40 years ago (1985) and was probably based on Jilly's perceptions of these men in their (and her) youth. APB and Jilly are both in their 80s so she may have been thinking 20 years or so back from the 80s.

Wiki says this:

"Cooper has acknowledged that the character of Campbell-Black was inspired by David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort, Andrew Parker Bowles, the former husband of Queen Camilla,[1] and Michael Howard, 21st Earl of Suffolk."

Edited to say that I've just looked them up and, looks-wise, the Duke seems closest.

I've just seen that this will be released on October 18th- teaser trailer here, it's wonderfully eighties!

I agree, very eighties, and reminds me of the ‘ Knives out’ film .

However, it’s not quite what I imagined Rivals to be - not Sloane-y enough, and not posh enough, and not country setting enough. And the moustaches look a bit fake. I will watch it (and enjoy it), but the clip hasn’t got the vibe of the book for me.

I was really looking forward to it, but can’t stand David Tennant. He’s not Tony Baddingham at all. May have to reread the book instead.

I think RCB should have been played by the guy who was Jaime Lannisterhere

Danny Dyer doesn’t look like the Freddie I had in mind. In my head he’s more like Toby Jones. I’m looking forward enormously to it though.

Having looked up Jaime L, I do agree with you.

OMG I cannot bloody wait.

Like PP I don't feel it looks totally faithful to the book, but who are we to argue as Dame Jilly was involved in the creation of the series.

The fact that JC is involved doesn't fill me with confidence that it is going to be good - JC was involved in the original series of 'Riders' and said that was amazingly good and just as she imagined it!! It was the biggest pile of crap ever shown on TV imo . It was so easy to tell the 'olympic' showjumping fences were only about 3 ft high and slow motioning the horses jumping them didn't make them look bigger! And the actor playing Jake had his chaps on back to front on several occasions! However Jake was played by Michael Praed who is SO easy on the eye even now that the cheesiness of his lines didn't matter

JC was involved in the original series of 'Riders' and said that was amazingly good and just as she imagined it!!

The trouble is that, in every interview she does, she seems to gush praise over everybody and everything: "madly attractive", "screamingly funny", "wonderfully beautiful" etc
I suspect it'll be better than Riders and I definitely want to see it, but "better than Riders" wouldn't be difficult.

Televised Riders was utter tripe and deviated from the book in ways that were unnecessary.

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/rivals-an-evening-with-dame-jilly-cooper-cast/

Personally f..k Oasis, this is my hot ticket of the year 😉

Thanks for sharing that- I've booked to go

Not how I imaged RCB. Needs to be blonder and more English looking

You lucky duck!
Unfortunately I can't get to London for that date.
Might you possibly, ever-so-kindly (insert grovelly phrase of choice here) share some details about it here on your return? 🙏
Whether you can or not, hope you have a great time.

@LaMarschallin I’ll be delighted to report back!

I have booked a ticket too!

Me too :)