Rivals star Alex Hassell has said the death of Dame Jilly Cooper “really knocked him” as he reflected on the last words she said to him.
The Disney+ series is based on the best-selling novel by Dame Jilly, who died unexpectedly aged 88 last October after suffering injuries from a fall.
The 45-year-old actor plays heartthrob Rupert Campbell-Black – a former Olympic showjumper turned Conservative MP – in the award-winning drama, which also stars David Tennant and Aidan Turner.
Alex Hassell plays Rupert Campbell-Black in Rivals (Aaron Chown/PA)PA WireIn an interview with The Sunday Times, Hassell reflected on finding out about the sudden death of Dame Jilly at her Gloucestershire home.
He said: “I was really knocked by it. I was at home, some people were on set, and the decision was made to carry on because it meant so much to her that it was being made.
“The last thing she said to me was that she was so glad I’m her Rupert and so proud of me. Then she got into her car and drove away, and it makes me want to well up talking about it.”
Hassell said that after Dame Jilly’s memorial service, which was held at Southwark Cathedral in central London in January, many of the guests stayed hours after “as they brought hundreds of bottles – magnums – of champagne”.
He added: “We all just got hammered, which is the most Jilly thing ever. There were dogs running around. It was beautiful.”
Dame Jilly Cooper died unexpectedly last October after a fall (Andrew Matthews/PA)PA ArchiveThe actor, from Essex, also hailed Dame Jilly’s writing as the reason why the smash-hit TV series has been such a success and said: “I think people watch it over and over because they love being in the world with the characters, and that’s the force of Jilly’s writing.”
Set in the 1980s in the backdrop of the Cotswolds countryside, Rivals follows the high-stakes world of British television as careers, marriages and reputations hang by a thread when professional and personal lives collide.
Dame Jilly was an active part of its production and served as an executive producer.
Hassell admitted to the newspaper that he was initially “nervous” after it was announced he was cast as a character described as having blond hair and blue eyes.
Camilla had tea and cake with the leading actors of Rivals during a visit to the set of the show (Anthony Upton/PA)PA WireHe said: “I was nervous to begin with but I now feel accepted by audiences.”
Hassell praised the part for “completely” changing his life, and added: “I feel very honoured to have taken it on.
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“People are double-taking a lot more and asking for photos but it’s not overwhelming or uncomfortable.
“People mainly just say they love the show and that I’m doing a great job, which is really nice and I really appreciate.”
“Doing Rivals is genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve had,” he added.