Emily Atack has said her role in the hit Disney+ series Rivals has "completely changed my life". The actress, 36, plays the raunchy Sarah Stratton in the award-winning drama, set in the 1980s Cotswolds and centred on the high-stakes world of British television.
Return to acting after two decades
Atack rose to fame in The Inbetweeners and has since built a television career presenting shows such as I'm A Celebrity… Extra Camp and appearing in comedy and sketch programmes. The Rivals role marks a turning point in her nearly two-decade career, showcasing her ability to tackle a complex and multi-layered character.
In an interview with the Press Association, Atack said: "It's completely changed my life. I don't even know how to describe it.
"I've worked in television for a long time, but what I've always wanted to do was come back to acting. That's where I started, and that's where my heart has always been."
From Blue Murder to The Inbetweeners
Atack began her career aged 16 after landing a role in ITV crime drama Blue Murder, but shot to fame in 2008 when she debuted as Charlotte "Big Jugs" Hinchcliffe in E4 teenage sitcom The Inbetweeners. She has previously spoken about the stereotyping and typecasting that role spawned, and instead pursued reality TV opportunities, along with presenting and comedy.
"Different paths took me into different jobs and gave me some amazing opportunities in television, for which I'm incredibly grateful," she said. "But making that transition back from television into acting isn't always straightforward.
"It can be quite difficult, and sometimes that move isn't necessarily welcomed. So to feel so embraced and welcomed back into acting has meant an enormous amount to me."
Rivals return and cast
Atack continued: "I know it probably sounds indulgent talking about it like this, but it really is a dream. An absolute dream. It reminds me that this is where my heart is. I'm so lucky to have had all those other experiences and opportunities, but this is truly where I belong. This is what I love."
Rivals, based on the eponymous novels by the late Dame Jilly Cooper, launched in 2024 and features a cast including Atack, David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson and Aidan Turner. The series will return on November 11 with the second batch of series two episodes, beginning with a three-episode premiere on Disney+ in the UK and internationally, and on Hulu in the US.
