Actress Katherine Parkinson has criticised the television industry for its lack of sex scenes portrayed from a female perspective. The star, who plays Lizzie Vereker in the Disney+ series Rivals, commended the show for its "radical" approach in addressing this gap.
Rivals Breaks New Ground
The Disney+ drama, set in the high-stakes world of British television in the Cotswolds, has garnered attention for its explicit scenes involving many cast members. Parkinson, 48, appears in a sex scene with Danny Dyer in the first season's finale. Speaking at the Everyman in Bristol, she said: "The great thing that Rivals does is, there are truths being told that I don't feel that I've necessarily seen… There's a sort of bravery to that. And it sort of feels quite radical."
She added: "Because Jilly [Cooper] wrote brilliantly from the female perspective about sex. And oddly, we still haven't seen a lot of that on television." Dame Jilly Cooper, who died aged 88 last year, was renowned for her risqué writing, including the Rustshire Chronicles series, which began with Riders in 1985 and concluded with Tackle! two years before her death. Her works are famous for depicting upper-class life, humour, and sexuality.
Second Season Developments
Filming for the second season, whose first three episodes premiered on Friday, was overshadowed by Cooper's death following a fall at her home in October. Attendees at a screening event raised a glass in her memory. While Parkinson's character had a steamy scene with Dyer in the first series, the second season is expected to deepen their connection.
Dyer, known for his role as Mick Carter on EastEnders, described their evolving relationship as "quite fascinating." In the new episodes, Freddie (Dyer) visits Lizzie for advice about Rupert (Alex Hassell), leading to lunch and time with Lizzie's children. However, a major twist looms in episode four. Parkinson told Radio Times: "I think it sort of goes beyond sweet in four, it's sort of like they're so tentative and so cautious."
Dyer questioned whether the characters can "live with" the twist, adding: "It's like if you're going to cheat or if there's an affair involved and there's kids and a partner involved – when you're in the moment and the lust and the love and all that, it's like when you go back, it's like, how does it sit with you? So there's a lot of that."
Parkinson remarked: "I think some people would be okay with the guilt of an affair and what it might do to a family more than others. And I think with Lizzie and Freddie, you've got two people that are actually going to feel it more than lots of people." She described the situation as "frustrating" because the characters can feel their mutual attraction.
Rivals is available to stream now on Disney+.
